J&K polls: Shah slams Cong alliance with NC; asks Rahul 10 questions on manifesto

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (August 23) took a swipe at the Congress for forming an alliance with the National Conference for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, while accusing the former of risking the nation’s security for its alleged greed for power.

“The Congress party, which has repeatedly risked the nation’s unity and security to satiate its greed for power, has once again exposed it ulterior motives by allying with the Abdullah family’s ‘National Conference’ in the Jammu and Kashmir elections,” Shah said in a post on X.

Shah’s 10 questions to Rahul

Posing 10 questions on the promises made by the NC in its poll manifesto, Shah asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about his stand on these assurances.

“Does the Congress support the National Conference's promise of a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir? Do Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party support the JKNC's decision to restore Article 370 and 35A, and thereby pushing Jammu and Kashmir back into an era of unrest and terrorism?" Shah asked.

The full name of Farooq Abdullah-led party is Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC).

‘Does Congress support separatism, terrorism?’

The Home Minister asked whether the Congress supports promoting separatism again by engaging in dialogue with Pakistan instead of Kashmir's youth and the National Conference's decision to start LoC trade with Pakistan, thereby nurturing terrorism and its ecosystem across the border.

His other queries fired to the Congress and Rahul included whether the party supports reinstating relatives of those involved in terrorism and stone-pelting into government jobs, "thereby bringing back terrorism, extremism and the era of strikes".

Is Congress fine with ending reservation? Shah asks Rahul

In his post, Shah alleged that the alliance has also exposed the Congress’ “anti-reservation stance”.

“Does Congress support the JKNC's promise to end reservations for Dalits, Gujjars, Bakarwals and Pahadi communities, thereby inflicting injustice upon them? Does the Congress want 'Shankaracharya Hill' to be known as 'Takht-e-Suleiman', and 'Hari Hill' as 'Koh-e-Maran'," Shah asked.

‘Policy of corruption, discrimination’

Shah also sought to know whether the Congress supports the politics of pushing Jammu and Kashmir's economy back into corruption and handing it over to selected Pakistan-supported families, and whether it endorses the NC’s politics of "discrimination" between Jammu and the Valley.

"Do the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi support the JKNC's divisive politics of granting autonomy to Kashmir?" he asked.

Rahul must clarify alliance’s reservation policy, says Shah

In another post on X, Shah shared a list of promises made by the NC.

He claimed that the Modi government ended years of discrimination against Dalits, tribes, Pahadis and backward communities by granting them reservations after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.

"Does Rahul Gandhi support the JKNC manifesto, which calls for abolishing reservations for Dalits, Gujjars, Bakerwals and Pahadis? After allying with the National Conference, he should now clarify the Congress Party's stand on reservation policy," he said.

What NC manifesto says?

Restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir's statehood as well as implementation of the autonomy resolution passed by the erstwhile assembly in 2000 are among the National Conference's 12 guarantees announced in its manifesto for the upcoming polls.

The 90-member assembly of the Union Territory is going to the polls in three phases on September 18 and 25 and October 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 4.

(With inputs from agencies)