Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi over J&K row; says 'Cong's statement helping Pakistan, party should be ashamed'
While addressing a gathering at Silvassa, Home Minister Amit Shah attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for questioning the Modi govt's move to abrogate Article 370.
Key Highlights
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed Rahul Gandhi over his comments on Article 370
- Shah stated that Congress should be ashamed that their statements were being used by Pakistan against India
- The home minister made the remark while addressing a gathering in Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Silvassa: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders for questioning the Narendra Modi government over its move to revoke Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to Pakistan quoting Gandhi in its letter to UN against India, Shah said that the Congress should be "ashamed" about the fact that their statements are being used against India.
Shah launched a blistering attack against the opposition parties while addressing a gathering in Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
He urged the opposition leaders to “rise above their party politics” and support the Modi government-led Centre over the J&K issue.
Slamming Rahul Gandhi, the Union minister said, "The Congress opposed the move to abrogate Article 370. Even today, any statement given by Rahul Gandhi is lauded in Pakistan. His statement is even included in Pakistan’s plea. Congress should be ashamed that their statements are being used against India.”
The BJP chief noted that Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution were proving to be an impediment for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been able to abrogate Article 370 in the very first session of Parliament after coming to power for the second term owing to the mandate given to the BJP by the citizens.
The home minister stated that the decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir had opened the path for development in the region. He added, "It was the last nail in the coffin of terrorism. All citizens, barring a few, have supported this move by the government."
On August 5, the Narendra Modi government had announced the abrogation of Article 370 via Presidential order. It had also announced the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Restrictions have been imposed in the region since then, with a communication blockade affecting normal life in Kashmir Valley. Authorities have also placed several Kashmiri politicians under house arrest.
Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, DMK's Stalin, had criticised the government's move to revoke the special status of J&K and to impose a communication lockdown in the region.
Recently, in a major embarrassment for the Congress, Pakistan wrote a letter to the United Nations over J&K in which it quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying that "people were dying in Jammu and Kashmir."
However, Gandhi had taken to Twitter to strongly condemn Pakistan for instigating violence in Jammu and Kashmir and had asserted that Kashmir was an internal matter of India. Gandhi had added that Pakistan, and no other foreign power, should interfere in the matters related to Jammu and Kashmir.