BJP always exploited Jammu People on Art 370: Azad

JAMMU, Nov 20:
Launching an attack on BJP for taking U-turn on issues like Article 370, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the saffron party has always exploited emotions of people of Jammu region on Article 370.
“BJP has taken U-turn on issues like Article 370. BJP and its earlier incarnations have been using such sensitive issues to flare up passions and exploit the sentiments of the people of the country in general and Jammu in particular and today they seem to have sold the trust of the people by asking them to forget for the sake of gaining power in J&K,” he said.
Azad said BJP has always betrayed the trust of the people of Jammu and the most recent and glaring example was the cross voting by seven BJP MLAs in the Legislative Council elections.
The former chief minister was addressing public gatherings in higher reaches of Bhallessa, Inderwal and Ramban constituencies at Bharthi, Nali, Gondow, Kastigarh and Chill of Chenab Valley today to seek votes in favour of Congress candidates.
Asserting that the people of J&K are slowly getting aware of the “divisive and dual-faced” politics of BJP, Azad said the U-turn of BJP on Article 370 should leave none in doubt about the hunger of BJP to gain power.
“People of Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu, feel cheated by the opportunistic politics of BJP and it is the ruse of BJP to hide under the grab of ‘national issue’ which no one in J&K is going to buy, and certainly they will be given a befitting reply by the people of the State,” he said.
Lauding Congress for having a consistent and practical stand on issues like Article 370, Azad said, “We have the satisfaction of never having tried to befool people for the sake of votes and gaining power and that we have tried to promote inter-regional harmony and communal amity unlike BJP which thrives on discord, divisiveness and polarisation.”
Accusing BJP of openly hobnobbing with separatists and having under-the-table parleys in its desperation to attain power at any cost, Azad said people have taken note of the somersaults and opportunistic politics of BJP.
He also accused the State Government of being non-seriousness on the issue of dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits after 2008. (AGENCIES)