'3 families destroyed...': Modi attacks Congress, PDP, NC in Doda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unleashed a stinging attack on the Congress, National Conference (NC), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his visit to Doda in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused these "three political families" of destroying the state through their dynastic politics. "This time's assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir is between three families and the youth of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
PM Modi highlights youth leadership in J&K
PM Modi also criticized these parties for not allowing new leadership to grow, which he claimed made the state "hollow from within." He stated that after coming to power in 2014, he has tried to bring forward the new leadership of the youth in Jammu and Kashmir. "Then in 2018, Panchayat elections were held here. In 2019, BDC elections were held and in 2020, DDC elections were held for the first time," he said.
PM Modi accuses Congress of 'indulging in brutality'
The prime minister further accused the Congress of "indulging in brutality" after an India Today journalist alleged that he was assaulted by Rahul Gandhi's team in the United States. "They (Congress) claim to be running Mohabbat ki dukaan. But a journalist of our country was subjected to cruelty in the USA by Congress. A son of India was insulted in the USA," he said.
PM Modi targets former Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
He also reacted sharply to former Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's recent revelation that he was terrified of terrorists while visiting Jammu and Kashmir's Lal Chowk during his term as home minister under the UPA-II regime. "Remember the time when an unofficial curfew would be imposed here as soon as the sun set? The situation was such that even the Home Minister of the Congress-led central government was afraid to go to Lal Chowk," he added.
'BJP will provide free treatment to every poor family'
First assembly polls since abrogation of Article 370
The upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are the first since the abrogation of Article 370. The elections will be conducted in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 8. The state has a total of 90 Assembly constituencies, with seven seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and nine for Scheduled Tribes. According to the Election Commission of India, there are 88.06 lakh eligible voters in Jammu and Kashmir.
