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Amit Shah dares Congress to take action against Ghulam Nabi Azad, Saifuddin Soz’s remarks on Kashmir

Amit Shah said that after the BJP withdrew support from the PDP-led coalition government, leading to its collapse, the Congress “started showing its true colours” in anticipation of elections.

Updated on: Jun 24, 2018, 24:01:46 IST
Hindustan Times, Jammu | By
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled out of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, was grossly discriminating against Jammu and Ladakh regions, its chief Amit Shah said on Saturday.

BJP president Amit Shah addresses a public rally at Prade Chowk, in Jammu, on June 23. (Nitin Kanotra / HT Photo)
BJP president Amit Shah addresses a public rally at Prade Chowk, in Jammu, on June 23. (Nitin Kanotra / HT Photo)

In his first visit to the state after the move, which resulted in governor’s rule being imposed in the state, Shah said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the BJP will never allow it to be disintegrated from the country.

“J&K is a part of India due to the efforts of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee,” Shah told a rally here to mark “martyrdom anniversary” of the leader.

He dared Congress to take action against its state leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saifuddin Soz for their comments, and sought their apology.

He said after the BJP withdrew support from the coalition government, the Congress “started showing its true colours” in anticipation of elections.

“Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad made a statement which I cannot even repeat here. And immediately after it, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) supported that statement,” Shah said.

Azad had said that “the army was killing more civilians than terrorists” in Jammu and Kashmir.

Slamming Soz’s statement that former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf was right in saying Kashmiris will prefer to be independent, he said that the BJP will never let it happen, and Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and it can’t be changed.

“Staying in power was not a priority for the BJP but welfare and development of J&K was its only objective,” Shah said.

Shah said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the coffers providing Rs 80,000-crore package to the state and personally visited the state over a dozen times, peace and development remained elusive.

“There was clear-cut discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh. The schemes were not being implemented and as a result, development of these two regions has slowed down,” he said.

  • Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

    A principal correspondent, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria is the bureau chief at Jammu. He covers politics, defence, crime, health and civic issues for Jammu city.

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