Nehru created mess in Kashmir, Modi govt cleaned it by revoking Article 370: Shah

ZANZARKA/UNAI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru created a "mess" in Jammu and Kashmir by introducing Article 370 in the Constitution, but the Narendra Modi government rectified the error in 2019 by nullifying the provision that gave special status to the erstwhile state.

Speaking at an event to flag off the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Gaurav Yatra' in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are due in the next two months, Shah said the Congress used to often taunt his party over construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, but work on the mega project was now in progress.

The senior BJP leader flagged off one yatra from Zanzarka in Ahmedabad district and two others from Unai in Navsari district. Decorated vehicles are being used in these yatras.

“Due to the mistake of Jawaharlal Nehru, who inserted Article 370, Kashmir was in a mess... it could not be properly integrated with the rest of the country. Everybody wanted the removal of Article 370. Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed it in one stroke and completed integration of Kashmir with the country,” Shah said.

Earlier this week, Modi, during his visit to Gujarat, had also blamed Nehru for the issues plaguing Jammu and Kashmir for decades.

In August 2019, the BJP-led government at the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the border state into two Union territories.

Raking up the issue of construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Shah asked the gathering if they had thought that dream of building a grand mandir in the Uttar Pradesh town will be realised?

“The Congress used to taunt us with slogans like “mandir wahi banayenge, lekin tithi nahi batayenge (the temple will be built but can't say when),” Shah said.

"But the dates were declared, the ground-breaking ceremony was completed and a grand temple is coming up at the promised place," the Union minister pointed out.

The Modi government has developed important places of worship, Shah said.

“Visit Somnath, Dwarka, Kashi, Kedarnath or Ujjain. The Narendra Modi government has developed all places of worship, which during the Congress government were left to fend for themselves,” Shah said.

The Home Minister raised the issues of the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 airstrikes inside Pakistan and said the Modi government adopted a tough stance on terrorism emanating from across the border.

“During the Congress-led UPA rule, Pakistan used to behead our soldiers and take away their heads. When our government came (in 2014) they tried to do the same thing. They forget this was not the government of 'Mouni Baba' (a reference to former PM Manmohan Singh). In a few days after terror incidents the Narendra Modi government responded with surgical strikes and airstrikes,” Shah said.

The BJP leader maintained the country's oldest political party is neither capable of providing security nor of ensuring development of India and these tasks can only be accomplished by the saffron outfit.

“The Congress is neither capable of ensuring security of the country nor able to develop the country. Only the BJP can do them,” he said.

Further targeting the opposition party, Shah said curfews were a routine occurrence when the Congress ruled Gujarat, but things improved vastly after the BJP came to power in the state.

"Out of 365 days, curfew would be in force in 200 days in parts of Gujarat when the Congress was ruling the state. They (Congress) thought they would benefit if people fought each other. Those days are gone now," he said.

"After Narendra Modi came to power in Gujarat (he was CM from 2001 and became PM in 2014), curfew has not been imposed in the state for the last 20 years," Shah claimed.

Speaking about development of tribal communities in Unai, Shah said it is the Modi government which has worked hard for welfare of marginalised social groups.

On Wednesday, BJP president J P Nadda had flagged off two yatras.

The yatra which started from Zanzarka in Ahmedabad district on Thursday morning will conclude at the temple town of Somnath.

From Unai, one yatra will go to Ambaji Temple in Banaskantha district, covering the tribal belt of the state, while the other one will head to Fagvel temple town in Kheda district.

BJP's Gujarat as well as central leaders will join the yatras at different points, a party release said.

In all, five yatras have been planned by the BJP, each lasting eight to nine days, and the ruling party aims to cover 144 Assembly constituencies, out of the total 182, as part of its voter outreach campaign ahead of the elections.