Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), April 12: Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad on Friday to address a poll rally, hit out at the Congress over its handling of the Kashmir issue.
Shah said the Congress party “pampered” Article 370 like a child in its lap for decades till it was scrapped.
He also slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for suggesting recently that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be speaking about Kashmir while addressing rallies in other states.
“Tell me isn’t Kashmir ours? Khargeji of the Congress asks what do people of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have to do with Kashmir,” he said, adding that every child of Moradabad is ready to give his life for Kashmir.
“For 70 years, the Congress pampered Article 370 like an illegitimate child in its lap,” Shah said, referring to the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under the Article.
“You made Modiji the prime minister for the second time and he abolished Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Today our tricolour is flying there with pride. Under the leadership of Modiji, Kashmir has been united with India forever,” Shah said.
Shah also urged voters to make BJP victorious on all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Notably, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of Lok Sabha constituencies in the country and plays a key role in the formation of government at the Centre.
The Home Minister also lauded the people of the state and attributed BJP’s two victories in Lok Sabha polls to UP as the state offered 73 seats in 2014 and 65 seats in 2019 respectively.
“In 2014 and 2019, the biggest reason for PM Modi becoming the PM was Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh gave 73 seats in 2014 and 65 seats in 2019 and hence PM Modi became the PM with a full majority. We have to make him PM for third term, ‘is baar na 73 chalengi na 65 chalengi, is baar 80 ki 80 seat Modi ki jholi me jayengi’,” said Amit Shah.
“In our Gujarat, it’s been said a child’s future can be seen in the baby swing, so as the first election is going to be held in western UP, what you do will be followed by the rest of the UP. I would appeal to all of you to come out of your homes and cast your vote on the sign of Louts,” added Shah.
Further speaking about his government’s achievements, Shah said, “In last 10 years PM Modi has brought the country’s economy from 11th position to 5th position, now you make him PM for the third time, he will make the country’s economy 3rd largest in the world; it’s a Modi guarantee.”
The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. While, Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency will undergo polls on April 19 as part of Phase 1.
The counting of votes will take place on June 4. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 303 seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) managed to get only 52 seats. (With inputs from agencies)