The issue of the resolution moved on restoring Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has entered Maharashtra election fray with Prime Minister Narendra Modi warning voters in the poll-bound state about the “conspiracies" of the Congress party in the Union Territory. This could cost the Congress in Maharashtra, say BJP leaders.

The Congress is in alliance with the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir where the Legislative assembly has passed a resolution to bring back Article 370 in the UT. “Maharashtra should understand Congress conspiracies in J&K — the country won’t accept this resolution on Article 370. Till Modi is there, Congress won’t be able to do anything in Kashmir. Only Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Constitution will run there. No power can bring back 370," Modi said at his first rally in Maharashtra this election season in Dhule.

Modi also cautioned the Congress to “not forward Pakistan agenda here, and don’t speak the language of separatists for Kashmir". He said BJP MLAs who opposed the resolution in the J&K Assembly were thrown out of the House. Significantly, the Congress fought the election in J&K in an alliance with National Conference, but it had not promised restoration of Article 370, trying to steer away from the contentious issue. Congress also did not join the NC government in J&K, perhaps anticipating that such an association would cost it in Maharashtra elections as NC had vowed to bring back Article 370 in its manifesto.

But the Prime Minister has brought this issue to the centre-stage in the Maharashtra elections, saying the restoration of Article 370 will again deprive the SCs, STs and OBCs of reservation benefits in J&K and, hence, the Congress stands against reservation.

Modi also raised the slogan of ‘Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain’ (we are safe if we are one) to stress on Hindu unity and said the Congress was doing the biggest conspiracy against the country by trying to divide people on the basis of caste.

“The unity of OBC, SCs and STs is important — Yuvraaj (Rahul Gandhi) is playing a dangerous game of making one caste fight the other. He wants to divide their collective strength. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi – all did not want reservation," Modi said.

He also said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi car was one without brakes and wheels, and there was fight over who will be in the driver’s seat. Modi also said the Congress wants to shut the popular women-centric scheme of the Mahayuti in which Rs 1,500 per month is being given to women in the state. “Every woman should be cautious of them. They can’t tolerate our popular scheme," Modi said.

Source: News18