![Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a rally at Larnoo, Kokernag on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Sajad Dar Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a rally at Larnoo, Kokernag on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Sajad Dar](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/page1-6-6.jpg)
‘Will never allow BJP to revoke Article 370’
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 16: Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that for last five years India was under dictatorship and the present election will bring back democracy to the country.
Addressing a series of rallies in South Kashmir, Azad said that last 5 years of BJP rule by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is dictatorship. “Why are there restrictions today, why aren’t people allowed to pray at their will? When people are not allowed to pray, to eat the food of their choice it’s a dictatorship. The democracy of India cannot do such things. The people of the country should accept that for the last five years there was a dictatorship in the country. So these elections are not to favor a particular party or candidate but to bring back democracy here. People all over the State have to decide this”, he said.
The Congress leader said that the BJP and PM Modi do not believe in Constitution of India. “If anyone does not believe in the Constitution of India it’s the PM and his Government. By not believing in the book of the Constitution on which they take oath before assuming the office, proves they lie and betray the people of the country. Had they not betrayed then they should have treated the Hindus and Muslims alike. They should not have discriminated on the base of caste and put curbs on the choice of food. They should not have interfered in the religious rights of the Muslims and allowed them to pray the way they have been doing for the last seventy years”, he said. Click here to watch video
Azad said that BJP has demeaned the institutions and abused minorities. “Their Ministers have been abusing the minorities. The Governors have never sided with anyone but today they openly show their support to BJP. They even lay claim on the Army of the country”, he said.
“Governor is supposed to protect the State but says he is an RSS or BJP man and propagates their ideas only. Institutions like Election Commission and judiciary is under threat. Top four Judges on record have admitted that the democracy of the country is under threat. This has happened for the first time in the history of the world. Today VCs are propagating the messages of RSS and BJP. All our independent institutions have been taken over by the RSS. This is called the dictatorship. Today the newspapers cannot write against the Government”, the Leader of Opposition said.
The Congress leader said that today BJP is claiming to be the biggest nationalist party in the country but at time of freedom struggle they were collaborators of British. “This is the same party that has negligible participation in the independence of this country. When Gandhi and his team were fighting for the independence, the core party of the BJP was working with Britishers to break the Congress. Today they are claiming to be the biggest nationalists of the country. They have done nothing to build this nation and are working round the clock to break it”, he said.
Azad said that Modi has failed and is diverting attention from his failures. “Don’t show us this dream of Pakistan. What will Pakistan do? Congress has fended off Pakistan from Kashmir. We have fought two wars with Pakistan in 1961 and 1971. Modi Sahib this time should keep his promise with the farmers, he should repent on the promise of 15 lakhs to every house hold and give them something else this time. The Congress leader said that BJP has destroyed both Northeast and Kashmir. “The BJP has taken revenge from the people of these regions as they have always repelled BJP from their areas”, he said.
Azad said that PM has let down the nation by failing to provide employment. “The PM should think about the people who were let down by him for failing to provide employment. Under ‘Beti Bacha and Padha’ scheme, he promised education to the girls but failed. He has failed to protect the dignity of girls as little girls were never raped on this pace”, he said.
The Congress leader said even if BJP rules for the next 200 years, Congress will never allow them to revoke Article 370. “Till Congress exists in India, it will never allow BJP to revoke Article 370,” he said.
Without naming PDP, the Congress leader said that those who destroyed the eyes of the young girls are now seeking votes. “People of the State and some political parties worked together to improve the situation in Kashmir. But, during Modi’s Government, the maximum number of attacks on Army camps were witnessed in the last seventy years. Over the last decade, the highest number of security force personnel and civilians were killed in his Government. For the first time in the history of free India, this Government destroyed the eyes of young girls. People who snatch the eyes of young girls and beat older women are seeking votes today”, he said.
“I want to congratulate the crores of people in India who marched against the use of pellet guns. When a nomad girl was raped, they hit streets. There is love between the people of the country and Kashmir and if there is any villain it’s the BJP and PM of this country. If the Government at the Centre is not Kashmir friendly it will affect our State”, Azad said.
The bureaucrat turned politician, Vinod Kaul, who is also campaigning in South Kashmir for last several days also spoke on the occasion and sought votes for Mir. He said that people should defeat divisive forces and strengthen Kashmiriyat.