This is the first time after August 2019 that the PM has mentioned the restoration of Statehood; slams “Mughal mindset” of INDIA bloc leaders who share videos of non-vegetarian food during Navratri
Prime Minister Narendra Modi focussed a spotlight on the promise to restore Statehood and hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir at a rally for the upcoming Lok Sabha election on April 12, though he did not offer any concrete timeline for the restoration of Statehood. Instead, he extolled the positive impact of the abrogation of Article 370 and targeted the Opposition INDIA bloc’s leaders for their “Mughal mindset”.
“The time is not far for the Assembly elections and restoration of Statehood to J&K. People will soon have their Ministers and legislators. It’s through them that people will fulfil their desires and dreams and walk on a new path of development,” he said at an election rally in the Udhampur-Doda constituency in Jammu. This is the first time after August 2019 that he has referred to the restoration of Statehood.
Growing anger
His statement comes at a time when Jammu voters, especially in Hindu-majority areas, have started growing resentful of the downgrading of J&K into a Union Territory and the failure to hold Assembly elections. Congress leader Chaudhary Lal Singh has already started tapping into this growing anger in a bid to defeat the BJP’s Jitendra Singh, who is canvassing for re-election from the seat.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.