'India would have remained undivided, if first PM was Vallabbhai Patel': Rajasthan Minister Meena

Minister Meena alleged that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was the “result of Nehru’s decisions”.

Kota (Rajasthan): If Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had been the country's first prime minister instead of Jawaharlal Nehru, Pakistan would not have come into existence and Article 370 would not have been imposed, Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said on Monday.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the launch of the ‘Jago Jagao Ekta Yatra’ organised by Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary in Ramganj Mandi assembly constituency.

He alleged that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was the “result of Nehru’s decisions”.

“If Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had become the country's first prime minister, our India would have remained undivided India”, he said.

Recalling BJP ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, he said Mukherjee, who served in Nehru’s cabinet, opposed Article 370 but resigned when his objections were not accepted.

“Jawaharlal Nehru created two countries within one by imposing Article 370 in Kashmir,” Meena further alleged.

The minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured the abrogation of Article 370, which he claimed brought “freedom and democracy” to Jammu and Kashmir.

“If there is one person who removed Article 370, it is Narendra Modi. Because of him freedom came to Kashmir, elections were held there and the people of Kashmir got democracy,” he said.

“We have come to power to serve the people. For BJP, the nation comes first, then the party’s interests,” he added.

Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Meena said he has an “unbridled tongue” that makes irresponsible remarks, even against the armed forces.

He criticised the Congress for imposing the Emergency, saying the party had “strangled democracy” and jailed opposition leaders.

“Today the Congress party may shout that democracy is in danger but Indira Gandhi who talked about democracy strangled the press by imposing Emergency. She put leaders in jail,” he said.

Meena further claimed that Modi had acted firmly against terrorism and said no major terror attack had taken place during the prime minister’s 11-year tenure, barring the recent incident at the Red Fort.

“In 11 years of rule, not a single terror blast occurred. Now, as a blast happened at Red Fort, everyone is silent. Whoever is involved in this conspiracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bring them to justice even if it is by pulling them out from the nether world,” he said.

The minister urged members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes not to be “misled” by the Congress, alleging that Nehru opposed B R Ambedkar and worked against him during elections.