Amit Shah criticises Jawaharlal Nehru, alleges 'blunder' in Jammu and Kashmir
PTC News Desk: A scathing critique of Jawaharlal Nehru's governance emerged from the lips of Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an election rally in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Shah, a key figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), lambasted Nehru's decision to implement Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, labeling it a "blunder." In Shah's view, Nehru's action necessitated rectification, a feat he credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, according to Shah, brought an end to the contentious law and symbolically hoisted the Indian flag in the Kashmir region.
"PM Modi has delivered on every promise made by the BJP since its inception. Jawaharlal Nehru's decision to implement Article 370 in Kashmir was a monumental blunder. PM Modi rectified this by abolishing Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and proudly raising the Indian flag in Kashmir," Shah asserted, amid applause from the rally attendees.
Shah didn't reserve his praise solely for Modi's actions in Jammu and Kashmir. He also commended the Prime Minister for his involvement in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Shah criticized the Congress for purportedly neglecting the issue of the Ram Temple for decades.
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"For 70 years, the Congress party sidestepped the Ram Temple issue at 'Ram Janmabhoomi.' However, PM Modi not only laid the foundation stone but also performed the 'Pran Pratistha' on January 22," Shah remarked, juxtaposing the BJP's proactive stance against Congress's alleged inertia.
The mention of Nehru by Shah coincided with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's rebuke of Nehru's approach towards the Katchatheevu island issue. Jaishankar quoted Nehru's dismissive views on the island, implying negligence on Nehru's part regarding territorial matters.
Amit Shah's criticism of Nehru's policies regarding Jammu and Kashmir is not unprecedented. In a previous address to the Lok Sabha, Shah had accused Nehru of two major missteps in the region -- declaring a ceasefire during the India-Pakistan war in 1948 without securing the entirety of Kashmir and internationalizing the dispute by bringing it before the United Nations.
"I echo the sentiment expressed here -- Nehruvian blunder. Due to the errors made during Nehru's tenure, Kashmir endured suffering. I affirm that the two blunders during Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership exacerbated Kashmir's plight. Firstly, declaring a premature ceasefire when victory was within our grasp. If the ceasefire had been delayed by merely three days, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would be Indian territory today... Secondly, internationalizing our domestic issue by involving the UN," Shah reiterated, underscoring the repercussions of Nehru's decisions.
Following his rally in Rajasthan, Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Karnataka, where he will address the Sakti Kendra Pramukh Sammelan at the Palace Ground in Bengaluru, continuing his political engagements.
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(Inputs from agencies)