Implores Kashmiris to reject NC, PDP; pledges to fulfil Vajpayee’s ‘dream’
Promising to fulfil Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kicked off his election campaign in Jammu & Kashmir from the historic Chowgan in Kishtwar by hard-selling his development agenda for the State.
Aiming for the first BJP Government in the State, Modi also launched a blistering attack on J&K’s ‘dynastic’ rulers urging the electorate to give absolute majority to the party by teaching them a befitting lesson.
He warned against attempts to link religion to politics saying “a Kashmiri is a Kashmiri” and the Government at the Centre was committed to development of the State.
Addressing an impressive gathering that braved the winter chill, the Prime Minister said, “I have a vision for Jammu & Kashmir and that vision is based on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision of Insaniyat, Jumhooriyat and Kashmiriyat. I promise I will fulfil the dreams of former Prime Minister.”
Patting the back of party leaders for organising an impressive show, Modi said after Independence no political leader has ever witnessed this “colourful sight” in this historic parade ground of Kishtwar.
Modi said it is evident the winds of change are blowing across the State. “It is high time the people come forward and rid the State of the ‘dynastic rulers’ who were busy taking turns in looting Jammu & Kashmir.”
Without naming any political family, Modi questioned, “Will only two families rule in J&KIJ Can’t other families produce leadersIJ You are repenting for the last 50 years... If you don’t punish the two families ruling here, they will come back. They have an understanding among themselves. One loots the State for five years and then is thrown out of power and then the other starts looting the State. They have a five-year contract to loot the State,” Modi alleged.
BJP candidates from six Assembly seats in the region were present along with their supporters in the picturesque Chowgan, painted in saffron hues.
National Conference’s Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo is the sitting legislator of Kishtwar and is up against his old rival BJP’s Sunil Sharma. Kitchloo defeated Sharma in 2008 by a narrow margin. Modi’s ‘successful’ rally in the region could alter the equations on ground zero in the first round of polling on November 25.
The Congress had won five Assembly seats in the region in 2008. BJP, chasing a dream of winning 44 plus seats, is hoping to win at least three Assembly seats of Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and Ramban.
The Doda Assembly seat is also witnessing a close contest between the rival parties and in a multi-corner contest; BJP throwing a surprise is not being ruled out. From the Congress, leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad led the campaign of the party while PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed made efforts to make inroads into the Congress bastion during the high voltage campaign.
Reacting strongly to Modi’s barbs, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “Had we actually been corrupt, would people give us so much supportIJ The people would have thrown me out. But, you can see the love of the people; they are not letting me go. It is proof of the fact that we have won the hearts of the people,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of an election rally in Kangan.
In his half an hour speech, Modi also slammed the Opposition in the State of running a “false” campaign that the BJP Government is not concerned about the refugees. The Prime Minister said he was committed to solving the problems of all refugees in the State, and he considered this a national responsibility (Rashtriya Kartavya).
Modi also promised to revive the tourism sector in the State and woo tourists from across the globe, thus, helping the State generate more resources. “I have to bring back Bollywood to Kashmir. I have to bring back tourism to the State and I have to make J&K the ultimate tourist destination in the world.”
Taking a dig at successive Governments in the State over corruption, he said, “If there is a hole in the bucket, then the water will not stay. I wonder where the money that comes from the Centre goes”. Who is responsible for people not getting water, despite the Chenab River being nearby, the Prime Minister asked. He said State Governments are well aware that 20,000 MW of power can be produced in the State. The State alone has the potential to supply electricity to the entire country, he said.
Narendra Modi said he had ensured that water reached 9,000 villages of Kutch from the Narmada River, through pipelines. But here, people still waited for water, despite the Chenab being nearby.
He said he had come to Jammu & Kashmir to reassure people that there would never be any shortage of funds for the State. He said the State needed a corruption-free Government that could work for the welfare of the people.
The Prime Minister recalled that he met some children from villages in Poonch-Rajouri districts recently at his official residence in Delhi. He said he had been impressed with the spirit of the children of Jammu & Kashmir, who had great hopes and aspirations. “Jo beet gayee so beet gayee. Ab nayee peedhi ka bhavishya banaana hai,” the Prime Minister said. Senior BJP leaders, including General Secretary Ram Madhav, MoS PMO Jitendra Singh and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, were also present at the rally.