Modi govt made country proud by abrogating Art 370: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on November 22 said the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre made the country proud by abrogating Article 370 in Kashmir, as the special status granted to the Valley "posed a challenge to India's unity". Addressing a poll meeting here in Palamu, Gadkari said the abolition of articles 370 and 35 A had featured on the agenda of the Jan Sangh and the BJP since Independence.

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'Why Congress never touched article 370'

He alleged that the erstwhile Congress governments did not take any measure to scrap the special provisions in Kashmir as they were afraid of losing votes. "Why is that the Congress and the so-called secular parties never touched Article 370? They were afraid of losing votes. The special status had always posed a challenge to the unity of the country.

"We are proud that the Modi government took the bold and decisive step," the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises said.

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The senior BJP leader also hailed the Modi government for its efforts to ban the practice of instant 'triple talaq'. "It is an issue of social justice. The move to ban instant 'triple talaq' should not be viewed through the prism of religion and politics," he asserted.

Attacking the opposition alliance of the JMM, the Congress and the RJD in the state, Gadkari said the coalition was a temporary one and that people should avoid voting for a 'khichri' government. "The Raghubar Das-led BJP government has provided good governance over the past five years. A 'khichri' government only puts roadblocks in the path of development," he added.

Assembly elections will be held in Jharkhand in five phases. Bishrampur goes to polls during the first phase on November 30. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA and the state's health minister, Ramchandra Chandravanshi, from the seat.

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