Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar terms Congress manifesto as 'Dhakosla' ; blames Pandit Nehru for Kashmir problem

Unleashing an attack on Congress over its poll promise in their manifesto of reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and repealing the sedition law, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first Prime Minister was responsible for the Kashmir problem.

Addressing a public meeting at Kaimri district of Haryana, Khattar dismissed the Congress' poll manifesto as "Dhakosla patra" (sham manifesto). Blaming former PM Nehru for the Kashmir crisis, Khattar said,

"Had Sardar Vallabhai Patel been Prime Minister after Independence there would have been no place for terrorism in Kashmir. These mistakes were committed by the Congress, which we have to bear today. Now if son-of-the-soil Narendra Modi has come forward to rectify these mistakes, there is the talk of human rights violation. If anyone talks about the country's division and raises slogans, is this human right? Congress has failed to understand this," he said.

"When Rahul Gandhi was asked on whose suggestion they (his party) had incorporated such things in the manifesto (review of AFSPA and repealing of sedition law), he said it was done on the suggestion of surgical strike hero Lt General D S Hooda (retd), but General Hooda has refused any knowledge on this," Khattar claimed.

He added, "Had Congress been at the helm, neither the 1998 Pokhran nuclear test would have been conducted nor the anti-satellite missile test." 

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Comparing the Congress’ promise to review AFSPA and repeal sedition law to that of PM Modi’s decision to give a free hand to the defence forces after the Pulwama terror attack, he said:

“Anyone who looks at India with an evil eye is made to pay in the same coin. But they (Congress) said they will repeal the sedition law. Those who raise slogans like 'Bharat tere tukde tukde honge' (India will disintegrate), will go scot-free. Can we allow this to happen?," he said.

Highlighting that many have sacrificed their lives to safeguard India, he said that such proposals (proposal to repeal sedition law and AFSPA) such decisions could undo the armed forces' good work.

On the Congress' proposed minimum income scheme 'NYAY', Khattar said, "From Pandit Nehru to Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi, promises to eliminate poverty were made before. Congress president Rahul Gandhi's 'NYAY' is one more lie in the series."

He lauded the Modi government for introducing several schemes for the poor, weaker sections and farmers. He claimed that the law and order situation had improved in the state after the BJP government formed the government. He also claimed that the present government has given 60,000 jobs out of the 74,000 advertised earlier, all of which were given in a transparent manner on merit as against favouritism which prevailed earlier.

(with PTI inputs)