Abrogation of Article 370 strengthened the identity of J&K: Vibodh

Omar Sahib needs history lessons on J&K: Vibodh

Srinagar, Dec 14: BJP today hit out at Jammu and Kashmir’s former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his remarks on the Public Safety Act and J&K’s identity.

“Omar is unable to appreciate the fact that with the Abrogation of Article 370, development entered Jammu and Kashmir. Stone-Pelting ended, tourism increased manifold, youth integrated with the mainstream and the same Jammu and Kashmir which was once known for Hurriyat Calendar is today known for its expressways, IITs, IIMs, AIIMs, and other development projects of the central government. The identity of Jammu and Kashmir has strengthened post abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A as it led to its stronger integration with India”, said BJP J&K general secretary Vibodh Gupta while addressing a media interaction.

Referring to the Public Safety Act remark of Omar Abdullah, Vibodh told that Omar Sahib needs some history lessons on Jammu and Kashmir. It was his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah who introduced the Public Safety Act in Jammu and Kashmir in 1978 and dominantly used it to curb the nationalist voices of the Union territory and to settle political rivalries. He accused National Conference’s misgovernance of “killing” thousands, sanctioning 16,000 cases under the Public Safety Act. “They made Kashmir a ‘terrorism paradise’, BJP made it a tourism paradise”, he added.

Vibodh strongly asserted that the National Conference and PDP have lost ground in Jammu and Kasmir as people have started to hold their leaders accountable for their sins. The delivery of rights to women, Valmiki Samaj, Gujjar-Bakerwal, Paharis, West Pakistan Refugee, and other ignored and marginalized sections have established BJP as the most popular party among the people of the Union Territory.