“Congress, Listen Carefully…”: PM On Mallikarjun Kharge’s J&K “Relevance” Comment

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a counterattack on Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s comments on the removal of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution.

Mr Kharge, during a political event in Rajasthan’s Jaipur, had shot back at a question on scrapping special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Arre bhai, yahan ke logon se kya wasta hai (what has it got to do with the people here)?” Mr Kharge was head replying to a question. He also incorrectly referred to Article 371, instead of Article 370, which the Congress later acknowledge was a slip of tongue.

Referring to Mr Kharge’s comment, PM Modi today questioned the Congress chief over why he think the Jammu and Kashmir matter was not relevant.

“The Congress’s national president – and it’s not a small post – said what is the use of talking about (Article) 370 after coming to Rajasthan? I feel ashamed in hearing that. Is Jammu and Kashmir not part of India?” PM Modi said at an election rally in Bihar’s Nawada.

“The Congress should listen carefully. Many young and brave people from Bihar have made huge sacrifices for the motherland. How many young people have returned home, wrapped in the national flag, in their effort to save Jammu and Kashmir?” PM Modi said.

Our PM @narendramodi ‘s response to @INCIndia ‘s “tukde-tukde” gang owner @kharge on Kashmir! pic.twitter.com/9yWXUoNQWZ

— Neetu Garg (Modi Ka Parivar) (@NeetuGarg6) April 7, 2024

“In Rajasthan too, many brave young people have returned wrapped in the national flag after they gave the highest sacrifice in defence of Jammu and Kashmir,” PM Modi said. “Now they are saying what is the relevance of one corner of the country to another? This is the language of the tukde-tukde gang. Can you forgive such people?” the Prime Minister asked the crowd, which responded loudly, “No”.

“Tukde-tukde gang” is a term often used by rightwing parties to criticise Left-backed groups and their supporters. It was coined after anti-national slogans were raised at an event in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. 

Home Minister Amit Shah has also said it was “shameful” to hear what Mr Kharge said. He reminded the Congress that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that every state and citizen has a right over it just as the people of the Union Territory have a right over the rest of the country.

In Nawada, where PM Modi held the rally, the BJP has fielded Vivek Thakur, the party’s Rajya Sabha MP and son of former Union Minister CP Thakur.

Polling will be held in Nawada, Gaya, Aurangabad, and Jamui Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase on April 19.

As per the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will contes on 17 seats and its ally Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), on 16 seats. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest from five Lok Sabha seats.

The Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest from one seat each.