NEW DELHI: “From being a “taboo”, Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) rose with highest vote share in Jammu & Kashmir and that is the amazing story of an incredible journey personified by recent Assembly election in the Union Territory”
In an exclusive conversation during media conclave organised by national TV Channel, Bharat24, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh thus summed up the best ever performance so far of BJP in Jammu & Kashmir and said, the credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having introduced in the last 10 years a new work culture and a new norm in the practice of democracy wherein the benefits of development and public welfare schemes reached to every section of society regardless of caste, creed or religion.
This, he said, was a huge departure from the politics followed by Congress Party which was primarily based on vote bank considerations
Citing a simple example, Dr Jitendra Singh referred to PM Awas Yojana, wherein colonies and colonies of kutcha houses were converted into pucca houses even in such segments of society which had perhaps never voted for BJP because they were misled through all kinds of misgivings by Congress Party. It is the same segments of society which are now undergoing a change of heart when they find that under Modi, BJP is a Party that has ensured fair deal to every citizen, following the mantra for “Justice to all, appeasement to none”.
We have seen those times, recalled Dr Jitendra Singh, when Returning Officer would reject all the nomination papers and accept only one, that of the ruling Party candidate and declare him a winner uncontested even before the day of polling.
From there, he said, we transversed into a long spell of militancy where for over three decades, elections were held under fear of gun with hartal call by Pakistan and Poll boycott by separatist groups resulting in just 8% to 10% votes which was managed by a handful of individuals and families to perpetuate their rule from generation to generation.
This is for the first time, he said, that we find the mainstreaming of democracy in Jammu & Kashmir and the election scene in Kashmir witnessed the same festivity and enthusiasm as an election being held anywhere in the country, in any State or Union Territory.
Responding to the results in Haryana, Dr Jitendra Singh said, “Congress Party is still trying to play the tricks of the past whereas the voter has moved on. He said, congress tried to use “Kisan, Pahalwan and Samvidhan” to garner votes without realising that the voter today is well informed and awakened, and not ready to be taken in by manufactured narratives. Haryana, he said, has vindicated the approach based on commitment, conviction and dedication followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
