Prime Minister Narendra Modi told US President Donald Trump that Kashmir is an internal matter of India and he need not interfere in it, Union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah said on Friday. Shah also said that in 70 years, no other Prime Minister but Narendra Modi “showed the courage to abrogate Article 370.”
“This has been our consistent stand for years that we will not tolerate any kind of interference in Kashmir. If any country tried to speak on Kashmir, we said that it is our internal matter, be it American President or anyone else. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said clearly that Kashmir is our internal matter and you need not interfere,” said Shah at an election rally in Chikhali, Buldhana district of Vidarbha.
US President Donald Trump in the recent past has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
“I offered, whether it’s arbitration or mediation, or whatever it has to be, I’ll do whatever I can,” said Trump in a customary news briefing marking the end of his three-day UNGA visit.
Hitting out at the Opposition Congress and the NCP, the BJP president said, “For BJP, the nation is always a prioritya We are an ideology-based party, not family-dominated like the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party which indulge in vote-bank politics.”
Shah said the Congress and the NCP have opposed the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and in Maharashtra Assembly polls, the voters should ask them about their stand on Kashmir issue.
“The Congress and the NCP opposed the abrogation of Article 370. When they come to you asking for votes, you should ask what is their stand on it,” said Shah.
“Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Parliament that river of blood would flow in Kashmir if Article 370 is repealed. But I would like to share with you that not even a drop of blood was flown after Article 370 was revoked,” added Shah.
The Centre abrogated Article 370 on August 5 divesting Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcating it into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Maharashtra is scheduled to go to polls on October 21. The BJP is in alliance with the Shiv Sena. The Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the NCP. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.
