Dare Congress to restore Article 370 in J&K: Union minister Jitendra Singh

Jammu, Sep 30: Accusing the Congress of speaking in different voices on Article 370, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday dared the opposition party to declare that they will restore it in Jammu and Kashmir if they return to power.

Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), also hit out at the Congress for raising the issue of restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the election campaign, contending that it has already been promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at public meetings and in Parliament.

Singh claimed that the Congress leaders spoke in favour of removal of Article 370 in the Jammu region and took an exactly opposite stand in the Kashmir valley.

"I dare the Congress to declare that they will restore Article 370 if elected to power. The Congress may please its alliance partner National Conference in this manner, but will antagonise voters across the country," the three-term BJP Lok Sabha member from Udhampur told PTI Videos in an interview here.

In 2019, the Centre scrapped the special status granted to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir through Article 370 and 35A. It also bifurcated the state into two Union territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

On the issue of restoration of statehood, Singh said the prime minister, in his public meetings, has made the promise and the Union Home Minister has also given an assurance in Parliament on the issue.

"The opposition is trying to be over smart. They know very well that the Centre will restore statehood and are hence raising the issue every now and then," the Union minister said.

Singh said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were eager to bring the BJP back to power as they have experienced equitable development under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.

The BJP leader said in the last 10 years in J&K, the NDA government has tried to create a new culture in which welfare measures are reaching every person in the region while religion and caste are being left behind.

He said in the same period, both Jammu and Kashmir have seen progress in equal measure and peace has taken centre stage in the Union Territory.