Tarun Chugh, the national general secretary of BJP and party incharge for Jammu and Kashmir, extended a warm welcome to the announcement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the phased revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Chugh urged opposition leaders, including the Abdullahs and Muftis, to refrain from politicizing the issue to construct a false narrative.
Chugh emphasized that leaders such as National Conference’s vice president Omar Abdullah and PDP’s Mahbooba Mufti should acknowledge the significant contributions of the Modi government in fostering peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused the Abdullah and Mufti families of perpetuating separatism in the region for their own political gains and expressed that recent policies implemented by the Modi government have left them rattled and frustrated.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives, Chugh underscored the series of steps taken by the Modi administration, including the abrogation of Article 370, aimed at steering Jammu and Kashmir towards a trajectory of development and progress.
“Since Union Home Minister Amit Shah hinted at the withdrawal of AFSPA and troops from Jammu and Kashmir, regional political parties, especially the NC, appear to be in utter frustration. Perhaps the NC has forgotten its role in the introduction and implementation of AFSPA in J&K,” Chugh remarked.
Accusing the NC of introducing AFSPA in 1978 to suppress political opponents and maintain power, Chugh asserted that the party had inflicted significant damage on Jammu and Kashmir and its institutions through such laws. He noted the NC’s dismay at the BJP’s stance on revisiting the law.
“During their tenure, the NC indulged in nurturing terrorism, separatism, and corruption. They sacrificed thousands of youths for their petty politics,” Chugh asserted.
Predicting electoral losses for regional parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Chugh claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have embraced the BJP post-August 5, 2019. He cited the recent rally on March 7 at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar as evidence of the growing support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-people initiatives. “The Kashmiris are backing the BJP’s agenda, and the regional parties will witness their downfall. The lotus will blossom in every household of Jammu and Kashmir,” Chugh
concluded.