Congress Should Apologise To Kashmiris: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (FILE)
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that Congress should apologise to Kashmiri people instead of selling fake dreams.
"Kashmir is known as the 'heaven on the Earth', they (Congress party) should apologise to the Kashmiri people for ignoring the development just because of their political game but instead of that, they are selling fake dreams," said Mr Naqvi.
This comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who was in Jammu alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP are ruining the love and brotherhood that exists amongst the people.
Commenting on Rahul Gandhi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Minister said "The party that had opposed the development of Jammu and Kashmir are now selling a new dream that they will make a comeback in the state."
Without mentioning Rahul Gandhi's name, Mr Naqvi attacked him for obstructing the work of development in the Union Territory and luring people using the Gandhi legacy.
"The party should understand that the state is recovering and developing and again you are going to the state to put hurdles and trying to lure them back with using the name of your family is an old formula that is now expired," he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir. On his visit, he went to the Vaishno Devi temple. Earlier, on Friday, Rahul Gandhi addressed the party office bearers meeting where senior party leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad and others were present.
Rahul Gandhi while addressing the party office bearers sammelan where senior party leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu today said, "The feeling of love, brotherhood that exists amongst you all is being ruined by the people of BJP, RSS. They are trying to break the composite culture of Jammu and Kashmir. This is making you all weak. You can yourself see that the UT's economy, tourism, business is badly hurt."
Explaining that Goddess Durga symbolises the power that protects, Goddess Laxmi signifies the power to achieve one's aims and Goddess Saraswati is the power of knowledge, the Congress leader alleged that the economic policies of the BJP-led Central government including the introduction of demonetisation and GST decreased the power of Goddess Laxmi in the country.
He also claimed that the new Central farm laws decreased the power of Goddess Durga, further alleging that farmers "suffered" and have been "hurt" because of these laws which have been "imposed" on them.
Notably, this will be Rahul Gandhi's second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.
Earlier, he visited the union territory on August 9. During his last visit, Rahul Gandhi inaugurated the new party office in Srinagar. He also visited Kheer Bhawani temple and Hazrat Dargah Sharif.
Reacting to the statement given by Trinamool Congress Minister that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee will win with a record margin Naqvi stated that "The elections are yet to begin and she has already declared about margin, this is called misunderstanding nothing else."
BJP has fielded Priyanka Tibrewal, a lawyer by profession as its candidate in the upcoming Bhabanipur bypolls pitting her against West Bengal CM on September 30. The Bhabanipur assembly seat was vacated by West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in May, making way for Mamata Banerjee to contest.
"During the pandemic, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a problem solver and the world is appreciating PM's work. With people's help and the facilities provided by the government has helped the nation to come out of the pandemic," Mr Naqvi said
Meanwhile, India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has achieved 73 crore landmark (73,05,89,688) as per provisional reports till 7 am today.
While welcoming the ban of liquor and meat in Mathura announced by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on August 30, Mr Naqvi said, "Places like Mathura and Ayodha are Hindu sacred places and banning liquor and meat was the right thing to do, and this is not just here even in Kabul, this stuff is also prohibited. The previous government should have given a thought about this but Yogi has taken an important decision which is welcomed."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)