J&K resonates in BJP speeches in poll-bound states

Seeking to rebuild the nationalist pitch once again that helped it win Lok Sabha polls with its biggest majority so far, BJP has made abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir its main poll plank for assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand, the first major electoral exercise after the general elections.

A gleaning of election speeches of top BJP leaders proves how J and K and 370 remains the main poll plank of the ruling party for this round of assembly polls in the three states, the first major electoral exercise after Modi govt came to power. All the three states go to polls in October-November this year.

BJP is already in the midst of a month-long nationwide public awareness programme on Article 370 and 35 that was started in September, an event which helps it spread the message of its Kashmir decisions while it is in election mode.

Hence be it the farmer suicide belt of Vidarbha, the jatlands of Haryana or the malnutrition affected tribal belts of Jharkhand, leaders of the BJP are invariably falling back on Kashmir, 370 and Pakistan to trump support of the party, which is seeking a consecutive second term in all three states.

On Thursday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing an election rally in Nashik in Maharasthra, stressed that the decision to revoke provisions under Article 370, was a decision for the unity of India, he was following a pattern, which marks public speeches of all BJP leaders.

On Wednesday addressing a workers’ conference of Vidarbha division in Nagpur, BJP Working President Jagat Prasad Nadda said, “a conspiracy was hatched to break away Jammu and Kashmir from rest of India through Article 370 and leaders of Congress were involved in it. Lauding Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for having “demolished Article 370”, he slammed “some leaders of the nation speaking in the language of Pakistan.”

Nadda alleged that Pakistan uses the speeches of leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah to buttress its arguments against the Indian interests in Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations.

Addressing Johar Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Jamtara in Jharkhand, Shah on Wednesday said that by removing Article 370 and 35A Modi has showed Pakistan its real place and proved it loud and clear (danke ki chot pe) Jammu and Kashmir is integral part of India and nobody can snatch it.

Raising the nationalism pitch further, Shah tried to put Congress in the dock on the issue saying “the issue is not only about Article 370. Rahul Opposes when we carry out surgical strike and airstrike on terrorists and seek proofs of it.”

Amid cheerleading by supporters, Shah further said, “people of Jharkhand are with the BJP, which removed Article 370 and 35 A and will teach a befitting lesson to Congress & company which had defamed the nation who spoke in favour of Article 370.”

Addressing an event in Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Nadda recalled Jana Sangh founder Pandit Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s “wholesome sacrifice to make Jammu and Kashmir an integral (abhinn) part of India and said that Modi and Shah have fulfilled the demand being made for last 70 years by removing Article 370.

In a public rally in Yamunanagar in Haryana, he again referred to Kashmir and hailed the “strong will power” of Modi Shah for taking the decision on Kashmir.