The streets leading to Srinagar’s Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium , the venue for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally, were  decorated with buntings and flags, featuring BJP’s election symbol lotus.

Amid heightened  security arrangement, Modi arrived  in Srinagar on Thursday morning and addressed a capacity election rally. It is the second visit of the Prime Minister to Srinagar since March this year. 

As he stood to begin his address, the crowd erupted in chants of “Modi, Modi”, filling the air for a few seconds. 

“Maynain sarini kasher bayan ti benin chu meon seytha seytha namaskar. Kya hall cahll chu” ( My namaskar to all my brothers and sisters. How is it going?), Modi greeted the crowd in Kashmiri language. 

“The festival of democracy is underway and seven districts went to polling in the first phase of polling. It was for the first time that the voting was not held under the shadow of terrorism,” he said.

He said that it was a proud moment for us that a large number of people came out of their homes to cast their ballots. 

On Wednesday, 24 Assembly constituencies spread across Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts experienced polling with an overall poll percentage of around 59 per cent. These are the first Assembly polls over the last 35 years where people feel a greater sense of security and confidence in democratic process.

“Previous polling records were broken in many constituencies. This is a new chapter in history and it has been created by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. And it reflects that the aspirations of the people are on new heights,” Modi said. 

He said that the world was watching how the people of Jammu and Kashmir were strengthening the democracy of India. 

“ For this, I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Modi said. 

Targeting political dynasties 

The Prime Minister, who is canvassing for BJP candidates in the region, made  the legacy parties again target of his barbs. The BJP is contesting on 19 seats in the Valley after it chose to not field any candidate in Lok Sabha elections. 

“A few days before, when I visited Jammu and Kashmir, I had said that three families are responsible for destroying the region and since then these people,  from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir, have been worked up,” Modi said. 

He said that these three families—Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis—believed that they could not be questioned. 

“These families believe that seizing power and then exploiting people is their birth right,” Modi said, emphasising “three families”. 

Modi said that depriving the people of Jammu and Kashmir of their legitimate rights  had been their political agenda. 

“But now, Jammu and Kashmir will no longer remain under the stronghold of these three families,” Modi said with the BJP supporters responding with chants Congress Ka jo yaar hai gadar hai, gdar hai ( Anyone who allied with the Congress is a traitor).

The Prime Minister said that the NC, the PDP and the Congress for decades sold hatred to run their political outlets. 

He blamed these parties for decades of terror and the injustice done to Pandits and Sikhs in the region

The Prime Minister said that he was fully committed to making the region peaceful. 

“Now, our children pick books and laptops instead of stones”, he said. 

The Prime Minister said that the youth were now no longer feeling helpless as they had been empowered under the Modi Sarkar. 

He blamed the legacy parties for trampling Jamhoorat and Kahmiriyat. 

“In the eighties, they treated politics in Jammu and Kashmir as their fiefdom and did not want anyone , save for their families, to come forward,” Modi said. 

He said that their policies eroded the faith of youth in democracy. 

“But the situation has significantly changed. Now ,the political parties campaign till late at night. People are celebrating democracy,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that they were unifying the people and are removing the Dilli aur dil ki doori. 

He said that the Valley has been now connected with railways that is poised to boom the regions economy. 

Modi said that Kashmir observed a shutdown of in the last 35 years, Kashmir witnessed 3000 days of strikes. 

“..But the legacy parties were trying to review the bad old days,” said the Prime Minister.

Promising statehood 

The Prime Minister reiterated its commitment of restoring the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. 

On August 5, 2019, the BJP government abrogated the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and split the region into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. 

“We have promised in Parliament that we will restore J&K’s statehood. The BJP will fulfil this commitment,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also promised to increase the health insurance from ₹5 lakh to ₹7 lakh and ₹10,000 annual assistance to farmers. 

Modi said that the union government was working to provide Jammu and Kashmir with 24-hour free electricity. 

Katra rally 

The Prime Minister addressed another election rally in Jammu division’s Katra area where he again launched a tirade on the NC and Congress. 

He said that no power on the earth could restore Article 370 and 35 A.

Referring to the Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks that Pakistan government and NC-Congress alliance are on the same page to restore Article 370, the Prime Minister said that it reflects that NC-Congress are trying to implement Pakistan’s agenda in Jammu and Kashmir.

He asked people to vote wisely in the polls and ensure the political demise of the Congress, NC and the PDP, which have caused significant harm to the region.