Clear stand on Article 370, Jitendra dares Congress

Jammu, April 8

Union Minister and candidate from Udhampur constituency, Jitendra Singh, said on Monday that the Congress has not made its stance clear on Article 370, raising doubts about the stand of the party.

Addressing a series of public meetings during his election campaign in Udhampur suburbs, including panchayat areas like Kambal Danga and Jib, Garhi Rambel Jitendra Singh challenged Congress candidates and its leaders to say that they will restore Article 370 if at all brought back to power. He added that the Congress party leaders during their campaign are beating around the bush and avoiding talking about the issues that they are answerable for.

Party blowing hot and cold

We will not allow the Congress to run with hare and hunt with hounds. On the one hand, Congress avoids mentioning their stand on Article 370, on the other, they fight the election with the PDP and the NC, which oppose the abrogation of Article 370. —Jitendra Singh, union minister

Jitendra Singh said, “We will not allow the Congress party to run with hares and hunt with hounds. On one hand, Congress is avoiding mentioning what their stand is on Article 370 and whether they are for the abrogation of Article 370 or for its restoration. On the other hand, they are fighting the election with the support of the PDP and the National Conference, which have publicly declared that they are strongly opposed to the abrogation of Article 370 and, if given a chance, would seek to restore it.”

Singh said, “It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who undid the acts of omission and commission committed over the years by successive Congress governments, beginning with the first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Though the then Congress leadership had agreed to include Article 370 in the Constitution as a temporary provision, over a period of time, they could not muster the courage to fulfil their own commitment. It was Modi who had the courage to correct the fallacies and lapses committed by the Congress.”

Singh said the candidate and its leaders should also make their stand clear whether they are in favour of the citizenship rights to West Pakistan refugees, staying in Jammu, which were restored by the BJP government, or if they come to power, they will snatch away their rights.