Published 12:42 IST, December 13th 2020
Anurag Thakur avers 'Article 370 gone forever' ahead of DDC polls; slams Abdullah & Mufti
Speaking at a rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district,Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that Article 370 is gone forever and slammed NC chief Abdullah
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Speaking at a rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district, ahead of the sixth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) election, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that Article 370 is gone forever and slammed NC chief Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Heaping praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, he said that development in Jammu and Kashmir has begun after Article 370 abrogation.
Thakur said, "Farooq Abdullah says he will seek China's help. Mehbooba Mufti says she will take the help of Pakistan, the country that gave us terrorism. They say they will bring back Article 370, but I say Article 370 has gone forever and will never come back. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will bring education, employment and development in Jammu and Kashmir. New IIMs and railway connectivity has been brought by Modi ji. The budget for the next five years will be made by the DDC representatives chosen by you. This strength has been given to you by Modi ji."
BJP pans Abdullah for pro-China remarks
Farooq Abdullah had earlier claimed that China had never accepted the nullification of Article 370. As per BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, the former J&K CM tried to justify China's aggression along the LAC by citing the constitutional changes in the region. Moreover, he quoted Abdullah as saying, "We will bring back Article 370 with the help of China".
"In the interview, there are two aspects. He stated that since the Indian Parliament abrogated Article 370, it has disturbed China and that's why China is justified for the kind of aggression that it has taken on. In a way, Farooq Abdullah justifies China's expansionist mindset. Going even further, he made an anti-national statement. He said that we will bring back Article 370 with the help of China," BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
Moreover, addressing the first press conference since her release from detention, Mehbooba Mufti ha said that she would raise the Indian tricolour only when the Jammu-Kashmir state flag 'comes back'. Asserting that the state flag forged the relation of the Union territory with India, Mufti said that she would strive to get back Article 370.
District Development Council election
The DDC polls are being conducted in 8 phases between November 28 and December 19, with the counting of votes scheduled for December 22. Requisite amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, and J&K Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, have enabled the setting up of District Development Councils, the members of which shall be directly elected by voters in the Union Territory. The DDC which will have a term of 5 years replaces the District Planning and Development Boards which were headed by a Cabinet Minister of the erstwhile state of J&K.
Addressing a press briefing, State Election Commissioner KK Sharma stated that the delimitation has been done for the respective constituencies and 280 DDCs have been identified across the Union Territory. The electoral rolls used in the Sarpanch and Panch elections that have been updated on January 1, 2020, are being used for the DDC elections. Moreover, 25,000 central paramilitary personnel drawn from CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB are being sent by the Centre for providing security cover during the polls.
12:42 IST, December 13th 2020