Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: Reiterating that the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution continues to be part of the Party’s core ideology, BJP today said that Party will work in that direction whenever it garners the required numbers in Parliament.
“As far as the abrogation of Article 370 is concerned, it continues to be part of the core ideology of BJP but right now we don’t have enough numbers in Parliament to do away with it BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters here today.
He, however, said that in future when we have the required numbers we will work towards its removal,”.
Repealing Article 370, which grants special status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, would require a two-third majority in Parliament as the Constitution would have to be amended.
Patra said BJP and PDP are ideologically different but both the parties came together to provide a stable government to the people of the State and for the sake of development.
Patra said “small controversies” do crop up when the coalition partners have differences in their core ideology but the State government was being guided by the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) agreed upon by the two parties in the form of agenda for alliance.
Accusing Congress of running a disinformation campaign against the Narendra Modi government, the BJP spokesperson said it was during the UPA tenure that major corporations were being benefited whereas the current government was working for the welfare of the poor.
“The UPA government, led by Congress, gave away coal blocks and spectrum to benefit these corporate houses, but the current government has benefited by selling the same to these corporate and the money is being used for the welfare of the poor,” he said.
Slamming the Congress for “making an issue” out of Modi’s foreign visits, Patra said India has achieved a lot because of the tours whereas during the foreign tours of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nobody noticed any achievements.
He said the BJP government cannot be soft with terrorism and it was this government which has issued instructions to the security forces to give a “befitting reply” to the Pakistani aggression on the line of control.
“Pakistan is a failed State, a sponsor of terrorism… Modi government has given instructions to the security forces to retaliate fully if a bullet is being fired upon from Line of Actual Control’’.
Defending the statement of Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar that terrorists would be used to fight terrorists, Patra said it was a strategic statement and India would never support terrorism of any form.
On issuance of passport to separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he said passport can only be issued to the person who declares his nationality in the application form.
The press conference was attended by BJP spokespersons Balbir Ram Rattan, Dr Suresh Ajay Magotra, Dr Nirmal Kamal, Arun Gupta, Dr Darkshan Andrabi and Khalid Jhangir.
Mr Patra had visited J&K to participate in Party’s programme to highlight the achievements of one year rule of Modi Government at Centre. The party held a programme at JDA Community Hall, Roop Nagar and it among others was attended by Party (Org) general secretary Ashok Koul, Shashi Pal Sharma, Ravi Kumar from Kathua and Altaf Thakur from Kashmir.
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