BJP empowered Jammu & Kashmir, it's ignored sections: Tarun Chugh

Srinagar, Feb 10: BJP National General Secretary and In-charge J&K Tarun Chugh Saturday accused NC, PDP and Congress for ruining lives of J&K residents in their respective terms, and added BJP however empowered ignored sections of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

"After August 5, 2019 BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi utilized its efforts to ensure peace, prosperity and development in the region. Efforts are on to make terrorist capital into tourism capital. Also ignored sections of the society are being empowered, and facilities availing other citizens of the country are being provided to people of Jammu & Kashmir," Chugh told reporters.

He said earlier Gujjars & Bakerwals were given reservations but recently Pahari community has also been roped into reserved category. "I want to clarify that Gujjars and Bakerwals reservation won't be touched or tinkered with. The reservation to Pahari's is a separate thing. These communities were deprived from their rights by NC, PDP and Congress. These parties employed every tool of cruelty to suppress such communities in past, but PM Modi came to rescue to these classes and empowered them and brought them into mainstream," he said.

On elections, the BJP senior leader said that Election Commission of India (ECI) is an authority who has to take a final call on the schedule, but it is decided that Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir will be held before September 2024.

"Lok Sabha polls are ahead, and assembly elections in J&K will also be held before September this year. BJP is ready for polls and wants election at the earliest," he added.