Amit Shah Criticizes Congress for Alliance with National Conference Ahead of Jammu and Kashmir Elections
New Delhi, 23rd August 2024: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sharply criticized the Congress party for its alliance with the National Conference (NC) ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Shah questioned the Congress’s position on several issues highlighted in the NC’s election manifesto.
In a statement on X, Shah accused the Congress of prioritizing power over national unity and security, pointing to its alliance with the NC, led by the Abdullah family, as evidence of this. Shah raised ten specific questions directed at the Congress and its leader, Rahul Gandhi.
“Does the Congress endorse the National Conference’s proposal for a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir?” Shah inquired.
A major concern for Shah is the National Conference’s promise to reinstate Article 370 and Article 35A, which granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned whether the Congress supports this move, arguing that it could lead to a return of unrest and terrorism in the region.
Shah highlighted that the BJP-led central government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in 2019 was a crucial step for national security and integration, a stance he has consistently defended.
He also challenged the Congress-NC alliance’s approach to relations with Pakistan, suggesting that such engagement might foster separatism.
“Do the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi back the National Conference’s plan to revive ‘LoC Trade’ with Pakistan, which could support terrorism and its network across the border?” Shah asked.
Shah further criticized the Congress for allegedly opposing reservations for Dalits, Gujjars, Bakarwals, and Pahadi communities, suggesting that the NC’s promises could end these reservations.
He also questioned whether the Congress supports renaming significant sites in Jammu and Kashmir, such as Shankaracharya Hill and Hari Hill, to names with Islamic connotations.
“Does the Congress advocate renaming ‘Shankaracharya Hill’ to ‘Takht-e-Suleiman,’ and ‘Hari Hill’ to ‘Koh-e-Maran’?” he wrote, employing rhetoric often used by the BJP to accuse rivals of “appeasement politics.”
The Congress-NC alliance, which emerged from discussions between Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and NC President Farooq Abdullah, is seen as a united opposition front against the BJP in a region with significant security implications.
Seat-Sharing Agreement
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah announced on Friday that the seat-sharing arrangement with Congress for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections has been largely finalized.
“Consensus has been achieved on the majority of the seats out of the 90,” Abdullah informed reporters in Kulgam district of South Kashmir.
The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will occur in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1, with the vote counting scheduled for October 4.
