JOIN USArticle 370 abrogation reflects PM's nationalism: Naqvi
From the Ram Mandir issue to the NRC controversy, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has been in forefront in defending the saffron party. Here is a short preview of his DH exclusive interview:
Don’t you see some politics in BJP leaders in three of the four poll-going states demanding NRC now just months before elections?
This has no relation to elections. Such demands were being made in the whole country for quite some time. A number of states like Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi saw this demand earlier. Any country can ignore the problem of illegal immigrants only at its peril. They should be identified and deported back to the countries of their origin.
BJP has planned to hold awareness programmes at nearly 400 places in the country on abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir. Why this has been done just before state elections. Is it also not an electoral issue for you?
Abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is a very big historical step. It reflects the commitment of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards nationalism. This historical decision, due for long, has now become possible during the tenure of Modi government. Only now it has become possible and there is one law, one Constitution (ek vidhan, ek samvidhan) in the country. Every BJP worker is proud of this and we will definitely talk about it.
But do you foresee any immediate end to communication lockdown in Kashmir Valley? Opposition parties have raised concerns over this.
This (abrogation of the provision of Article 370) is not an ordinary decision. People who were hampering the interests of people and furthering their own by using 370 as a shield are now naturally restless. Unfortunately, there are some people in our country, who are singing in tune with the separatists. It will be better for those who are acting as confidantes of terrorists to become confidantes of nation-building.