Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 13: Accusing opponents including Congress, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of misleading people on the name of Article 370 and creating fear psychosis among them, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader, Raj Nath Singh today said J&K is not linked to India through Article 370 but it has thousands of years old cultural relation with the country.
Addressing election rallies at Bishnah and Jandyala in Nagrota Constituency of Jammu district today in support of Party candidates Ashwani Sharma and Nand Kishore Sharma today, he said BJP has a clear stand on Article 370 and the party wants to have an open debate on it but the Congress, NC and PDP were misleading the people on this account.
Mr Singh also accused Pakistan of being directly involved in Parliament attack of December 13, 2001. While saluting the jawans of security forces who laid down their lives in fighting the terrorist who attacked the temple of democracy in the country on this day, he said that the terrorists who attacked the Parliament were from Pakistan.
He said Parliament is like a temple, mosque, Church and Gurdwara for the people of India and our security forces will not allow any one to look towards it with a bad intension. They will not hesitate in laying down their lives for its protection and security, he added.
Mr Singh said history is witness that India always tried to have good neighbourly relations with Pakistan and it was the former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee who said that “friends can be changed but not neighbors” . So India extended its hand of friendship to Pak. But instead of reciprocating in the same manner Pakistan supported terrorists against India, resorted to cease fire violations and pushed armed desperadoes inside Indian territory, he added.
Maintaining that history is witness that India never attacked Pak or resorted to cease fire violations, he said it was Pakistan who backstabbed India every time.
Referring to recent cease fire violations by Pakistan, he said I was informed by DG BSF that five people were killed on border due to Pak shelling. “When I tried to seek information that what was the Indian response to firing I was informed that we hoisted white flags (flags of peace)., When I tried to know the reason for the same I was informed by DG that it has been a tradition for last 10 years of Congress rule”.
Mr Sing said that at the same time he issued categorical instructions that there should be no white flags and Pak be given a befitting reply.
He said Indian forces went ahead and Pakistan became so scared that its leaders sought the intervention of UN. The Home Minister said Pakistan has lost all wars with India in past too but still India wants friendship with neighbouring country.
Referring to the problems of border people, Singh said that Union Government led by Narendra Modi fully knows the peoples’ problems especially those of West Pak and POJK refugees. “We want to see that every refugee leads a respectable life like an Indian citizen and we are committed to it”, he added.
He said if there is any leader in this country who is well wisher of people he is Prime Minster Narendra Modi and this was the reason that BJP appointed him chairman of the Election Campaign Committee last year.
Mr Singh said during his visit to the US before Lok Sabha elections he was told by a Senator that BJP has declared Modi as PM candidate and US has denied visa to him. “But I plainly told him that soon Indian people will create such a situation that US will give red carpet welcome to Mr Modi.
He said that after taking over as PM of the country Modi increased India’s prestige aboard. It was only during the time of former Prime Minster, Atal Behari Vajpayee that India’s prestige increased abroad and now during the time of Modi.
Though maintaining that six months is not an enough time to judge the achievements of any Government, he asserted that Modi led Government is marching ahead with great strength.
He said the prices of petroleum products have decreased with the result the prices of all commodities have come down considerably. In comparison to that the prices of essential commodities touched sky during 10 years UPA rule.
Accusing the Congress of being knee deep involved in scams and corruption, he also did not spare NC and PDP leaders in this regard.
While highlighting the achievements of Modi Government, he said Transparency International which reviews working of Governments in its latest report has said that corruption has been contained to a great extent in India after taking over of Narendra Modi as PM.
He also referred to other populist schemes like Jan Dhan Yojna for poor and said that middle men system was abolished and every poor person can under this scheme open his bank account now. The BJP Government wants to increase the purchasing power of farmers by slashing down the prices and for providing employment opportunities to youth the present Union Government has launched skill development schemes and a separate Ministry has been created for it. Under this scheme an unemployed youth will be given three to four months training and then provided loans on soft interest rates to start their business, he added.
Maintaining that in democracy real power vests with people, he said with their vote people can change their as well as the fate of the nation. While appealing people to vote for the BJP, Mr Singh said that you have tested the NC, Congress and PDP and now test BJP and see difference.
He said survey shows that BJP is ahead in Jharkand and J&K. He also recalled the quick action taken by Modi Government in extending relief to flood victims of the State.
Addressing the rally BJP State president and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma complimented the people of giving three Lok Sabha seats to party and expressed the hope that on the same pattern the people will vote for BJP in Assembly poll.
He appealed the people to vote for Ashwani Sharma who has always championed the cause of people of his constituency as well as the Jammu region in the Assembly.
Ashwani Sharma in his address highlighted the problems of the people who have suffered a lot due to border firing. He urged the Government to settle the problems of the border people who are mostly dependent on agriculture and were facing always problems due to border firing.
He alleged that the area has been always discriminated by the successive State Governments and hence needs special attention.
Later Mr Singh while addressing poll rally at Jandyala in Nagrota Assembly Segment appealed the people to vote for BJP candidate Nand Kishroe Sharma. He also felicitated freedom fighters there. The rally was addressed by BJP State president Jugal Kishore Sharma and Party candidate Nand Kishore Sharma.
At Jandyal president All J&K Panchayat Conference president Anil Sharma joined the BJP in presence of Mr Singh along with Panchs and Sarpanchs.
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