NEW DELHI, Sept 19: Reacting to Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif’s claims on the Congress-NC alliance regarding the restoration of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a scathing attack on Congress, said on Thursday that his statement has made clear that Congress and Pakistan have the same intentions and agenda.
In a post on microblogging site on X, Amit Shah wrote, “Pakistan’s Defence Minister’s statement about Congress and JKNC’s support on Article 370 and 35A has once again exposed Congress. This statement has once again made it clear that Congress and Pakistan have the same intentions and agenda. For the last few years, Rahul Gandhi has been standing with every anti-India force, hurting the sentiments of the countrymen.”
Citing examples of Congress demanding proof of air strikes and surgical strikes, Shah accused Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi of supporting “every anti-India force” for years, which eventually has hurt sentiments of Indians.
He further cautioned Congress and Pakistan, saying that as long as Modi government is in the centre, neither Article 370 nor terrorism can return to Kashmir.
The tweet added, “Be it asking for proof of air strikes and surgical strikes or saying objectionable things about the Indian Army, the tune of Rahul Gandhi’s Congress Party and Pakistan has always been the same and Congress has always been hand in glove with the anti-national forces. But, Congress Party and Pakistan forget that there is Modi Government at the centre, hence, neither Article 370 nor terrorism is going to come back in Kashmir.”
Meanwhile responding to the comments of the Pakistan Defence Minister, former JK CM Omar Abdullah said Pakistan should not interfere in India’s electoral process.
“What does Pakistan have to do with us? We are not even a part of Pakistan, let them take care of their country. I don’t think they should interfere in our elections or comment on our elections. They should save their democracy, we are participating in ours,” Omar Abdullah said.
Earlier speaking on Geo News to senior journalist Hamid Mir in a show Capital Talk, the Pakistan Defence Minister was asked whether Pakistan and National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page on the restoration of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir.
Khwaja Asif replied, “Absolutely. Even our demand is also the same…”
Pakistan’s Defence Minister also claimed that that Article 370 could return should the NC-Congress alliance come to power in JK.
“I think it is possible. Currently, the National Conference and Congress have very big importance over there. The population of the valley has been motivated a lot on this issue and I believe, there is a chance that the Conference (National Conference) will come to power. They have made this an election issue that the status of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored,” Asif told Geo News.
