Narendra Modi spreading rumours, ignore him: Ghulam Nabi Azad

JAMMU: Hitting out at BJP Prime Ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for spreading "rumours", Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today called for desisting from giving publicity to his statement on Article 370 and maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Azad was reacting to Modi's statement advocating debate on Article 370 of the Constitution, that accords a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Wherever he (Modi) goes, he spreads rumours," Azad said, addressing a function in Kathua today.

He said that the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, while speaking on Modi's comments every day, were giving him unnecessary publicity.

"There is no need to give him (Modi) publicity," he said, and without mentioning Modi, added that some people had never come to Jammu and Kashmir before, were coming to see it for the first time and making comments.

Pulling up the state's leaders for wasting their time reacting to Modi's comments, Azad said Modi had no work to do, whereas "you have a lot of work to be done. Why are you wasting your time"?

The minister said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power on earth can separate it.

"There is a special place in the Constitution of India. It is known to our neighbouring countries as well as the people of the state and others states of the country," he said.

Without naming Pakistani Prime Minsiter Minister Nawaz Sharif, Azad said that people outside the country were also talking just for the sake of giving statements and keeping people happy.

"We should not react to them. We should work for streghtnening of our country," he said.