Addressing a rally at Srinagar today, Prime Minister Modi warned voters that the Congress-National Conference (NC) manifesto aligns with Pakistan’s interests, highlighting that Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif noted a strong possibility of the alliance winning in Jammu and Kashmir. Modi emphasized that the BJP would not permit Pakistan’s agenda to influence the region, citing Asif’s comments on Congress’s stance regarding Articles 370 and 35A.
The NC’s manifesto advocates for the restoration of Article 370, which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. In contrast, Congress’s manifesto is less explicit about special status but promises to restore full statehood. Following the nullification of Article 370 in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was restructured into two Union Territories, with assurances from the government that statehood would eventually be reinstated.
Home Minister Amit Shah recently reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring statehood after the elections, urging voters not to be swayed by opposition narratives. The BJP has seized on Asif’s remarks to argue that the Congress-NC alliance poses a threat to India’s interests, with party spokesperson Amit Malviya questioning Rahul Gandhi’s alignment with figures and entities perceived as hostile to India.
Modi also took aim at Rahul Gandhi’s comments during a US event, where Gandhi discussed the concept of ‘devta’—a term he explained as referring to a person whose internal and external expressions align. Modi criticized this characterization, suggesting it reflects a “Naxal mindset” imported from other cultures.
