Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday said the Congress is in a dilemma in J&K Assembly Elections whether to support or oppose Article 370. They are supporting the abrogation in Jammu and opposing the same in Kashmir, he said.

Dr Singh asked the Congress to clear its stand on the abrogation of Article 370 as this was the most misused Constitutional provision that gave nothing to the people of Jammu & Kashmir but its revival is still manufactured by certain political parties in the Assembly elections for their vested interests. “Article 370 is gone and gone forever”, Dr Singh emphasised.

He said these Assembly Elections were important in many respects as many segments of J&K population would be able to vote for the first time like the people of Valmiki community and West Pakistan Refugees. ”Their political representation is witness to the fact that under PM Modi, every citizen of this country must be brought into the political mainstream without any discrimination,” Dr Singh stressed.

He said the 8 per cent mandate to the previous political representatives is gone, now the election contest has become stronger in J&K as people come out in large numbers to elect their representatives that was seen in the recently held Parliamentary elections.

On the Self-Rule of PDP and Autonomy of National Conference, the Union Minister said Self-Rule of PDP was nothing but was a ‘self’ of the PDP family and Autonomy of JKNC was to make a single family autonomous and sovereign so that their vested interests are met at the cost of J&K.

Campaigning in remote areas of Chhattru and other places in the Inderwal Assembly Constituency of district Kishtwar, Dr Singh said the BJP never discriminates between communities and ensures due share for all.

The BJP is the only party which can ensure for all, both Hindus and Muslims, a dignified life with safety and without fear, he said.

Addressing public meetings in Muslim dominated areas of the constituency, Dr Singh said that BJP is the only truly secular party because its ethos teaches the practice of justice and fair-play for one and all without discrimination or distinction.

Those who raise the slogans of secularism are in fact trying to befool people by instigating them in the name of religion while they themselves are not committed to any religion or faith, he added.