In J&K, it's youth versus three families, says PM Modi at Doda rally

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP campaign in Jammu and Kashmir with an attack on the "three (political) families)" of Congress, National Conference and PDP, alleging they jointly destroyed the state for decades to serve their own selfish interests by promoting corruption, separatism and terrorism. He assured the voters that the status of full statehood to the union territory will be granted by a BJP government.

Addressing a rally in Doda, Udhampur on Saturday, the prime minister charged that these three parties want to restore Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The clause had deprived several sections of the society from benefits like reservation and welfare schemes of the Centre.

"These Assembly elections are between three (political) families and the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. On one side are the three families and on the other are the sons and daughters who have set out with big dreams. One family is of the Congress (Nehru-Gandhis), one of NC (Abdullahs) and one of PDP (Muftis). What these three families have jointly done to you is not less than any sin. These three families are responsible for destroying the state through decades," Modi said.


The problems faced by the state before abrogation of Article 370 in August, 2019 were due to the mistakes of these dynasts, he maintained.

He also assured full statehood to the state but did not state a timeline.

"The task of giving the status of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will also be done by a BJP government. But you have to be wary of those who have been snatching your rights for their own selfish interests. You must have seen that these days they keep a copy of the Constitution in their pockets. They have no respect for it....," he said.

Raking up the issue of reservations, he said abrogation of Article 370 has made paharis and others eligible for affirmative action in the same way the rest of the country is.

BJP is committed to make Jammu and Kashmir terror-free, Modi assured. "Terrorism is counting its last breaths in Jammu and Kashmir... A new Kashmir is being built with the stones which were pelted earlier," Modi said.