Pilot slams BJP’s ‘PoK presentation’ as ‘rhetoric’; a trick intended to divert attention | Political news

He said that despite attempts by many forces to create a sense of confusion in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, the collective campaign of the Congress-National Conference would ensure that it forms a government with a comfortable majority.

Asked about Yogi Adityanath’s remarks last week that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) would become part of JK after the BJP returns to power, Pilot said: “I am surprised why a chief minister of the state is making such a statement during elections. They have been in the government for 10 years. I must remind you that the first time Parliament unanimously passed a resolution to retake PoK was in 1994, when the Congress was in power.

“The BJP has been in power for 10 years and the full majority government has been in power for 10 years. What stopped them from taking this step?” – said the former Union minister.

Pilot claimed that the BJP raises these issues only briefly during the three weeks of election campaign and then everything returns to normal.

“If you look at the number of terror incidents that have taken place in JK, areas of Jammu that have never experienced infiltration (are experiencing this). Brave young men are dying and being martyred because of the mistakes of the Indian government and the state administration,” he told PTI.

Asked whether he was referring to the BJP’s speech on PoK’s election rhetoric, Pilot replied: “It has 100 percent nothing to do with the reality on the ground. “I think these issues are brought up every time during campaign speeches to influence people’s emotions and divert attention.” “

They talk about “one nation, one election”, then about PoK, then in the polls about other things, but what about the difficulties in agriculture, record unemployment and inflation, said the 47-year-old leader.

Talking about the situation in Haryana and JK, Pilot said that most people agree that the Haryana elections will be a strong vote against the incumbent and the Congress will get a clear majority.

“The Haryana-Government of India dual engine formula of 10 years is over. All reactions, opinions and moods are in favor of Congress. The issues of three farm laws, humiliation of athletes, Agniveer will cost the BJP. The middle class, the young people, everyone has had enough and the Congress is running a rousing campaign. I am completely convinced that we will win these elections with an overwhelming majority of votes, Pilot said.

Noting that two phases of JK polls are over and another phase awaits, Pilot said the Congress-NC alliance is at the very top.

Asked about talks on Congress infighting in Haryana and the presence of multiple chief ministerial candidates as was the case last year in his home state Rajasthan, Pilot said every Congress leader in Haryana has said that whatever the party decides, keep doing it.

“It is a long-standing tradition of the Congress that after electing MLAs, they sit down, the leaders consult and a name is decided after seeking the opinion of everyone. Therefore, I think the issue of who will be the CM will be decided as soon as the election results are announced and once we get a large majority, the MLAs and leaders will decide who will head the government and this statement is repeated by every leader,” said the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister.

“In Haryana, the Congress has a strong chance of winning a historic mandate. I won’t be surprised if we break all previous records and win a larger number of seats than ever before, he said.

He said the Congress could get a majority of more than two-thirds because of the way the BJP government was handling things and removed the CM after nine years, which clearly showed that his performance was not satisfactory.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on the Congress over alleged infighting, Pilot said the BJP should look at what it has done in the last 10 years.

“We are setting the narrative and the BJP is forced to answer the questions we are asking. The BJP can say whatever it wants and it also realizes that it is now fighting for, at best, a dignified defeat in Haryana,” Pilot claimed.

When asked about the BJP’s attack on the Congress over Art. 370 and claiming that the Congress will restore the special status, he said: “I think these are all election speeches and the Congress is very clear that as soon as we get the mandate and form a coalition government, the first thing we will do is to ensure the restoration of full JK statehood.” .

“Never before in the history of our country has a state been downgraded to a UT. “Congress has clearly stated that its top priority will be the restoration of statehood, which directly concerns the self-respect and dignity of the people of JK,” Pilot said.

The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases. Polling for 24 seats was held in the first phase on September 18. The next stage of voting for 26 seats took place on September 25.

Polling for Haryana Assembly seats will be held on October 5. The counting of votes will take place together with JK on October 8.

First publication: September 29, 2024 | 12:55 IST