Will change J&K's 'taqdeer aur tasweer' if voted to power for 5-year term: BJP's Ravinder Raina

Hoping the delimitation panel will submit its final report to the Centre soon paving the way for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP leader Ravinder Raina on Wednesday said if voted to power, the party would change the Union Territory's fate and image.

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit president also said Kashmiri migrant Pandits will surely return to their homes in the Valley with dignity and on their own conditions.

"We hope the delimitation commission will submit its final report to the Union Law Ministry before May 6 which will be followed by assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir," Raina told reporters on the sidelines of an event at the party headquarters here.

Many prominent Kashmiri migrant pandits, including Jammu and Kashmir Vichar Manch member Hira Lal Bhat, Ashok Kangan, advocate S K Bhat and Moti Lal Bhat were welcomed into the BJP by Raina and the party's General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul.

Raina said the delimitation panel, an autonomous body headed by Justice (Retd) Ranjana Desai, worked hard to fulfil its task of redrawing the boundaries of assembly and parliament constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We are sure the final report of the commission will address all concerns of the people and their representatives who have put forth their suggestions and objections to the draft proposal," he said.

Addressing the gathering, Raina asked BJP activists to reach out to every household in Jammu and Kashmir and highlight the steps taken by the Narendra Modi government for the welfare of the people of the Union Territory.

"Article 370 was the biggest roadblock for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir and its people...

"The National Conference, Congress and PDP are the only beneficiaries of the special status (under Article 370) which otherwise deprived people of the benefits of over 200 central laws and discriminated with every section, including the Muslims belonging to Gujjars, Bakerwals and Paharis," he said.

After the abrogation of Article 370 provisions in August 2019 by the BJP government, the deprived communities, as well as other sections of the society, have started enjoying the benefits of the various public welfare policies of the Centre, Raina said.

"We have seen the rule of National Conference, Congress and PDP over the past decades. If the BJP is given a chance to rule Jammu and Kashmir for five years, we will change the Taqdeer aur Tasweer (fate and image) of Jammu and Kashmir with the mantra of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas'," Raina said.

He said the winds of change are visible and the BJP is getting stronger with each passing day in both the divisions of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The responsibility is on our shoulders to meet every individual and I am sure we will fulfil our responsibility and strengthen the nationalist movement in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief expressed confidence that the party will win over 50 seats in the next assembly election and form the government with its own chief minister.

Welcoming the new members into the BJP, Raina said, "Kashmiri pandits were forced out of their homeland in the early 1990s at gun-point. They will return with dignity, respect and on their own conditions."