Give BJP majority in both Houses, get Article 370 clipped: Amit Shah

National security central issue of 2019 elections

JAMMU: Development is an ongoing process which the country has seen a lot under five years of Narendra Modi, but these elections are all about national security and making India a superpower, Bhartiya Janta Party chief Amit Shah said today as he reiterated his party’s commitment to abrogate Article 370 which provides special constitutional status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to a news channel, Shah said commitment to repeal Articles 370 and 35A has already been made to the nation. When questioned by the news anchor about the possibility, Shah said, ‘Modi hai to mumkin hai’-everything is possible as long as Modi is there.

On Friday, while on the campaign trail in Dharampur region of Gujarat, Shah said his party would abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution which gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir after getting a majority in both houses of Parliament. He also said the main issue in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections was national security.

"We have already said in our manifesto that we will repeal Article 370 once we get majority in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha so that Kashmir becomes integral part of India permanently," said Shah. At present, the BJP does not enjoy a majority in the Upper House of Parliament.

"This fight is not just about development. There is no doubt development took place under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The issue this time is national security and only Modi and the BJP can provide that," he said.

"Only Modi can make India a superpower," he added.

Referring to the air strike carried out by the Air Force on a terrorist training camp inside Pakistan after the Pulwama attack, Shah alleged that when the entire country was celebrating, the Congress was mourning.


"We can understand why Pakistan was upset. But why Rahul Gandhi's party was grieving when terrorists were killed?" he asked.