Kashmir is an integral part of India, not anybody’s personal fiefdom, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said on Saturday.
He was responding to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’sstatement that Kashmir should be set free if the country was at loss—asremarked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—because of Article 370 and 35A.
Madhav, who is BJP’s in charge for Kashmir, was at DakBangalow-Khanabal in Anantnag to campaign for party’s Lok Sabha candidate SofiYousuf.
He later addressed the media persons.
“Let me make it clear to everyone that Kashmir is anintegral part of India and not any one’s fiefdom. Yeh kisi key baap ya maa kijageer nahi. It (Kashmir) is pride ofmillions of Indians. It is not going to change and sooner the PDP and otherregional parties understand this the better,” said Madhav.
He said that regional parties were befooling the people andplaying politics of rhetoric.
Denying that his party compromised on its ideology byallying with the same PDP in 2015, Madhav referred to former Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi’s accord with NC founder Sheikh Abdullah in 1975.
“What we did was not compromise at all. It a mere test for us. In 1975 Indira signed a pact with Sheikh so as to give better direction to J&K’s politics. But then because of the failure of NC leadership the political situation in Kashmir changed in 1987.
The state went into chaos. Similarly, in 2015 we gave a similar opportunity to PDP leadership but they failed to capitalize on it and instead took the state towards the path of destruction,” he said.
Madhav said that the party’s stand on Kashmir was the sameas advocated by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee–Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat,Jamhooriyat.
“We are fighting this election on development plank butthese regional parties in J&K are a big hurdle in progress. But fordevelopment peace is a prerequisite and for that militancy needs to be wipedout. Our party is fighting for the same and people should cooperate with us”said he.
He said the party has a roadmap for the state and “thingswill soon be on the track in Kashmir”.
Without elaborating, Madhav said that the party’s stand onArticle 370 and 35A “is clear”.
“However, the Parliament would deliberate on it and take acall accordingly. For now, development is the core issue for us,” he said.
Asked about problems caused by traffic ban on the highway,Madhav said, “These measures are temporary. I know this place well and you can reach Anantnag through various otherroutes. A traffic jam on a normal day is a healthy sign of development. Butyes, that problem needs to be sorted out.”
Madhav said that people of Kashmir have “given a befittingreply to separatists and the regional parties by defying call for a boycott ofpolls”.
“The turnout in the first and second phase in Baramulla andSrinagar was very good much better than earlier LS elections and we expectbetter one here in Anantnag. This despite the threats by local parties that ifModi comes to power J&K will be in trouble. And, if they are elected theywe will get a separate PM and President here and even get J&K separated.This hasn’t worked at all for them,” said Madhav.
On the delay in Assembly elections, he said, “Our party hastalked to Election Commission and we are hopeful they will be held soon and agovernment would be in place here.”
Madhav said the party will increase its seat tally this LSelection.
“Last time we had three seats out of six. We are expectingat least four this time,” he said.
“Everyone knows the result of this election. Peopleknew even before the start of the polls that there will be a government led byModi. After the conclusion of the three phases, there is a wave in favour ofModi and we can say with confidence that Modi will get another term,” hesaid.
The BJP leader said the party was also hopeful of improvingits tally of seats in Jammu and Kashmir as compared to the 2014 elections.