NC manifesto aims at promoting separatism, reviving terrorism: Sunil Sethi

Jammu, Aug 19: J&K BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi Monday said that the National Conference’s manifesto aimed at promoting separatism, anarchy, and reviving terrorism and his party would approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) against it.

Addressing a news conference along with Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Jugal Kishore Sharma, who is also the Chairman of the State Election Campaign Committee for Assembly Elections 2024, Sethi said that NC’s manifesto, as per the ideology of the party, had a “tendency to promote separatism and revival of terrorism.”

“All this is meant to bring anarchy in J&K. When we met the ECI team, we apprehended that a few parties in J&K had the tendency to promote separatist agenda, encourage anti-national elements, anarchist ideas, which may ultimately lead J&K again to dark days. Now our apprehensions have become true with the release of NC’s manifesto. Just wait and watch, PDP will go further in its manifesto. We will approach the ECI, seeking action against NC,” Sethi said.

Regarding NC’s promise for restoration of Article 370 and Article 35-A, Sethi said, “The decision on this account was taken by the Parliament, which is supreme. J&K’s legislature cannot challenge Parliament. NC had gone to the court against the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35-A. Now its manifesto talking of their restoration is a contempt of court.”

Jugal and Sethi termed the NC’s election manifesto as “misleading and a heap of lies, compiled only to deceive the voters of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Senior BJP leaders also said that the promises of NC like the repeal of PSA, stoppage of frisking on highways, and mass amnesty to the prisoners reflected the party's “anti-people, anti-nationalist mindset and vicious agenda.”

“The party talked about talks with Pakistan, which comes under Centre’s jurisdiction,” they said.

They said that NC’s promises were just a hoax that had been compiled without any thought on their practical socio-economic implications.

“This is a manifesto with no vision,” the BJP leaders said. They also said that in some of the points, their manifesto challenged the law of the land and asked if the NC leaders were considering themselves above the constitution, law, and the Supreme Court.

“There is no roadmap or blueprint to fulfil the promises like free power, free education fee,” they said.