Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday targeted the Congress and regional parties, including National Conference and PDP, saying their demand for separating Jammu and Kashmir from India has been exposed like Pakistan’s nuclear threat had been “deflated”.

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, he said addressing a poll rally here in support of Union minister Jitendra Singh, seeking re-election from the Udhampur seat.

Modi said the BJP is duty-bound to party’s ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who raised tricolour on this land and scarified his life asserting that “Ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan aur do nishan nahi chalenge (a single country cannot have two constitutions, two prime ministers, and two national emblems)”.

“In the recent past, you saw how ‘mahamilawat’ of the Congress, the National Conference and the PDP got exposed. What was in their hearts for decades and for which they were working clandestinely has come out in the open. Everyday they are threatening to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India, talking about bloodshed and a separate prime minister. Earlier, Pakistan also used to warn India of its nuclear weapons but it was deflated,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister raised the issue of surgical strike and air strikes, and questioned the Congress for doubting the capability of the Indian Army. He accused it of demoralising security forces by seeking revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and their withdrawal from the state.

‘Another jumla’

Modi accused NC and PDP leadership of causing destruction in Jammu and Kashmir and said the key for the state’s brighter future lay in removing these two families from power. “I want to tell those who have occupied the seat of power for the last three generations, including Abdullahs and Muftis, that it is ‘ Modi jo na bikta hai, na darta hai aur na jukta hai ’ (Modi is not for sale, is not afraid and not ready to bow). Bring all your family members on field and abuse Modi as much you want but you will not be able to disintegrate the country. Shyama Prasad’s ideology is ‘ wachan patra ’ (agreement) for us and it is carved in stone which cannot be removed by anyone,” Modi said.

He said this was the BJP’s commitment and the nation’s chowkidar (watchman) is connected to this ideology as well. “The Congress and its alliance partners can do their best but they will find Modi standing before them like a wall,” he said.

Taking a dig at Modi, NC Vice President Omar Abdullah shared a picture of PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Modi hugging each other after cobbling an alliance in 2015 on his Twitter account. “This is how much Modi ji believes what he says. Look how happy he is to seal an alliance with one of the families he wants to rid J&K politics of,” he said, sharing the picture.

“We have to rid J&K of these two political families”, says Modi Ji in 2014 & then promptly goes and makes not one but TWO members of the Mufti family CM of J&K. In 2019 Modi Ji says ‘we have to rid J&K of these two political families’. Another jumla Modi ji?” the former Chief Minister tweeted.

‘Biggest enemy’

Amid chants of ‘Modi Modi’, the PM, in his over 38-minute speech, targeted the Congress, the NC and the PDP, saying the parties continuing family rule have not inherited Jammu and Kashmir.

“The founder of our Constitution (B R Ambedkar) made it clear, during his address in Punjab way back, that family rule is the biggest enemy of the country. Today is his birth anniversary and the real tribute to him is to vote against the parties following family rule,” he said.

He said Mukherjee, supported by local leader Prem Nath Dogra, challenged anti-national forces and asserted that a single country cannot have two constitutions, two prime ministers, and two national emblems, he said.

Modi, who started his speech in Dogri, said the heavy turnout of voters in the first phase of elections on April 11 in Jammu and Baramulla constituencies is a setback to terrorists, their mentors and those parties championing their cause.

“I visited the entire country after starting rallies last month and witnessed an intense wave in favour of the BJP. Surveys by various agencies also make it clear that the BJP will get three times higher seats than the Congress in this poll and it is not possible for the Congress to save itself,” he said. “The Congress stopped the armed forces from taking tough measures against terrorists. They were apprehensive that if they give a go-ahead and a situation like 1962 emerges, the Congress’s boat will sink.”

Modi claimed the Congress never understood the strength and capability of the Army. “We used the force for national security but for the Congress, the Army is just an instrument for minting money,” he alleged. He alleged the party got “malai” (kickbacks) for defence deals and it was least concerned about the forces.

He claimed that even today the Congress is raising questions on surgical and air strikes to shield its failure to act and to save their vote bank.

“India had never emerged as a strong country at global level, but the situation has changed. The days are gone when Indian government was cowed down by threats. This is a new India and we will kill terrorists (in their safe heavens) and expose people (supporting them),” Modi said.

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