Congress in pain after 370 scrap; Pak benefitting from its comments: Modi

JAMMU: Lashing out at the Congress over its stand on Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the grand old party’s statements are being used by Pakistan against India and asked what kind of "chemistry" it shares with the neighbouring country.
With the BJP making scrapping of Article 370 in J&K a big poll issue, Modi said parties like the Congress can neither understand sentiments of people nor respect sacrifices made by brave jawans.
Addressing a rally in Haryana, his fourth one for the October 21 polls, Modi asked the gathering, “Should I take decisions in national interest or not, should national interest be above politics or not?”
Making a stinging attack on the Congress, he said the party is in "pain" since August 5 when the Centre decided to abrogate special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Do you recall what happened on August 5? On that day such a thing happened which no one could have imagined, about which in a way the country had given up hope.
“On August 5, India's Constitution in entirety became applicable in J&K. For 70 years, what was stumbling block in development of J&K and Ladakh, we removed that.
“But since then Congress and parties like them are in a pain that no medicine is able to cure. 'Congress ke pet mein dard Congress ki la ilaaj bemari ban gaya hai,” he said.
“And Congress is suffering from such a disease that when we talk of Swachh India, surgical strike, they have a problem and if anyone takes Balakot's name, their pain increases,” he said.
He said statements made by Congress leaders on scrapping Article 370 are being used by Pakistan.
“Now, the country knows why Congress goes through this pain, for whose sympathy, for whom it is. You have seen the statements Congress leaders made on Kashmir are helping whom, who is taking benefit of such statements and where these are used.
“Do you know who is taking benefit of these,?” said Modi and when the crowds replied Pakistan , Modi told them you are correct .
“Now, Congress should reply why they are making such statements which are being liked by Pakistan. They should muster courage to say something which is liked by people of India (by supporting scrapping of the Article),” he said.
He said false claims, statements and language are used by the Congress to corner him and Pakistan is using these in the world to make its case strong.
“What kind of chemistry is this with Pakistan, whose chemistry is this and for whom. In these polls, you will have to find an answer to this,” he said.
"I tell Congress that they can oppose Modi, can make as many accusations and speak as much lies they want, he said, adding as long as he has the people's blessings, it was not going to affect him.
“Whatever good or bad you have to say about Modi, do that, but at least respect 'Ma Bharti'. Don't cross the limits in the manner which causes harm to the country, he said.
Modi also said within the Congress, those who were strongly against scrapping of Article 370, this group is coming forward to take Haryana's charge .
Congress is neither concerned about unity of India nor the Constitution given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Those who are not worried about Maa Bharti and the soil, and dignity of the Constitution, should Haryana show any concern for them. Should they be punished or not
"In these elections, you send them back packing and ask them to relax. They destroyed the country a lot, he said.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of failing to act after terror attacks in Mumbai, but said such a situation does not persist now as perpetrators now know they will be punished.
Addressing his last campaign rally for the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly election, Modi said during the Congress-led regimes, terror attacks and bomb blasts would take place in Mumbai "any time" and its coastline had become "entry point" for terrorists.
"That is not the situation now. Why? Because those who nurture terrorism now know they will be punished," Modi said.
He also referred to the surgical strike and Balakot air strike post terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama respectively as "not mere words, but the policy of the BJP and its allies".
Attacking the opposition, Modi said they "nurtured" for decades Article 370, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
He accused the Congress and its allies of playing politics of self-interest even as terrorism spread in Kashmir valley and people were deprived of their rights.

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