Reiterating that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said ahead of the Assembly elections that "no power" can talk of autonomy there.
The Home Minister also took aim at opposition parties, accusing the Congress, National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti's PDP of looting the erstwhile state and asking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not to mislead the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing BJP workers in Jammu's Palauru on Saturday, Mr Shah referred to the removal of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and said the upcoming election was historic because it would be the first time that voters in J&K would be casting their ballots not under two flags but under one Tricolour and under one Constitution.
"They (opposition parties) say they want to talk to Pakistan. Let me tell you, until there is peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan... Three families - Congress, the National Conference's Abdullah family and PDP's Mufti family - want to take Jammu and Kashmir back to the age of corruption. They say they will bring back the old arrangement... They speak of bringing back autonomy, let me state categorically that no power can talk of autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir," the minister said in Hindi.
Pointing out that Rahul Gandhi and the National Conference had promised the restoration of statehood - Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union Territories, including Ladakh, when Article 370 was abrogated in 2019- Mr Shah said, "I want to ask Rahul baba and Abdullah sahab, how will you restore statehood? Stop misleading the people of Jammu and Kashmir... this can only be done by the Union government and PM Modi."
"I have already said that Jammu and Kashmir will get statehood at an appropriate time after the elections. I have said this in Parliament. They are asking for something that we have already given, have you seen anything like this before," he asked.
Accusing previous governments of turning a blind eye to terrorism, Mr Shah said that, in the 10 years under PM Modi, the BJP has worked to reduce terrorism by 70% and also taken on terrorists. He cited the success of the Amarnath yatra and the reopening of theatres as proof of this and said terrorism will make a comeback if Congress and the National Conference, which are contesting the elections in an alliance, return to power in J&K.
In Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit, Mr Shah had unveiled the party's manifesto on Friday and said Article 370 was "history" and would never come back. The Union Territory will vote in three phases between September 18 and October 1. Counting will take place on October 8.
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