'Rahul Gandhi, Congress want to push J&K back into terrorism’: Amit Shah
The Union home minister was speaking at a rally in Kishtwar, on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.
On the last day of campaign for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, Union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Monday called out the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi over their alleged intention to push the region ‘back into terrorism.’
Leading BJP's charge in the poll-bound Union territory, Shah has repeatedly claimed that the Congress and its ally, the National Conference (NC), are ‘soft’ on terrorism and plan to release terrorists and stone-pelters from jails, if the alliance government comes to power.
His claim has already been dismissed by NC vice president and ex-chief minister, Omar Abdullah.
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“Once again, efforts are being made to evoke support for terrorism here. The NC and Congress have even promised that if they win, they will release these terrorists. But I today assure you, as long as (prime minister) Narendra Modi's government is there (at the Centre), no one will dare to spread terrorism on India's soil,” Shah asserted at a rally in Kishtwar.
“Today, I remember all the martyrs of this region and promise that we will end terrorism in such a way that it will never rise again,” he added.
Further, Shah reiterated that Article 370, that gave ‘special status’ to Jammu and Kashmir and was abrogated by the BJP-led Centre in August 2019, is ‘history.’
Elections for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly, its first since November-December 2014, will be held on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes is on October 8.
Months after the 2014 polls, in February 2015, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and BJP, the largest and second-largest parties, respectively, joined hands to form the government. The uneasy partnership ended in June 2018.