Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally at Kishtwar (Jammu) on November 22 is expected to clear the BJP’s confusion over Article 370, an issue that opened the party to attacks by the Congress and the National Conference on Thursday.

“The BJP is talking in different voices. In Jammu, they talk about abrogating Article 370, while in the Valley, they maintain that it can remain,” said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni too had earlier accused the BJP of “backtracking” on Article 370, which has been a core Hindutva issue for the Sangh Parivar along with Ramjanmaboomi and Uniform Civil Code.

From the BJP’s side, party president Amit Shah maintained silence on the issue at his two public rallies in Ramban and Banihal on Thursday.

Shah focused on development issues and talked about water, power and better roads for the State.

He attacked the “scandals and scams” encouraged by the “two first families” in the border State — Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party, and the Abdullahs of the National Conference.

Biggest grant

“The biggest grant from the Centre comes to Kashmir. Where does the money go? These two families have siphoned off the money. They have splurged it in building palatial family homes and foreign junkets while the common people are suffering,” Shah said.

“Compare the abysmal infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir to the States run by the BJP. We have provided 24-hour electricity, water, roads, hospital care, ambulances and education to the poorest of the poor,” the BJP president added.

In a statement issued on Shah’s behalf in Delhi, Article 370 was not mentioned even once.

At the same time, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who addressed a rally in Leh on Thursday, made an oblique reference to the issue without really specifying the BJP’s stand.

“There are many schemes and projects which could be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir but Article 370 works as an obstacle. For instance, the State Government did not implement the 73{+r}{+d} Constitutional Amendment despite being in power for six years. The Centre cannot implement it directly in the State due to Article 370,” read a statement issued on behalf of the Home Minister by the BJP in Delhi.

National issue

Rajnath condemned the Congress and the National Conference for “creating fear” by invoking Article 370.

“Article 370 is a national issue for us and there should be an extensive debate over its utility. There are certain parties which raise the issue of Article 370 during elections as they want to create a sense of fear among certain voters.

“Those parties should discuss the issues of governance and development in the State,” said the Home Minister.

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