PM Modi Dares Opposition to Bring Back Article 370, Says Normalcy Will Return to J&K Within 4 Months

Jalgaon: Hitting out at opposition parties for objecting to the government's decision to abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were not just a piece of land, but the "crown of India".

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district to campaign for the BJP for the upcoming state polls, Modi said the opposition by some parties and leaders to decisions in India's interests was "unfortunate".

The opposition seems to be speaking on lines of the neighbouring country on Article 370, he said.

"I challenge the opposition to declare in their manifesto that they will bring back Article 370... Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are not just a piece of land for us, but the crown of India," he said.

Modi said that every world power today is listening to India's voice. "The 'josh' of new India is not due to Modi, but your one vote," he told the gathering.

Modi said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would normalise within four months. "We are constantly working to return Jammu and Kashmir to a full state of normalcy and it will not take us more than four months to make it possible," he said.

Modi said he has come to Maharashtra to seek people's support to re-elect Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister for a second term on October 21. He lavished praise on the Fadnavis-led state government for its five-year performance, which, he said had been "corruption-free" and had inspired confidence among all, including farmers and industries.

Modi also hit out at the opposition over the issue of banning triple talaq, alleging they wanted to see Muslim sisters without justice.

"But, I kept the promise made to Muslim mothers and sisters," he said, challenging the opposition "to bring back the practice of triple talaq".

Taking a dig at the opposition, Modi, without naming any party, said the "tired allies" can extend each other support, but cannot fulfill the dreams of Maharashtra and aspirations of its youth.

Notably, senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde had recently remarked that both his party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are "tired".

Without naming NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Modi also referred to a video clip featuring the veteran leader and alleged that he elbowed away a party worker when being garlanded at a poll rally in Akola.

In the clip, which recently went viral on social media, Pawar was purportedly seen being honoured with a big garland by NCP workers. At the same time, a party worker tried to get into the garland and was allegedly nudged away by Pawar.

"I don't know whether the clip is genuine or not...such a big leader whose photos appeared in newspapers all these years, who was seen on TV, but he has such a small heart that he elbowed the young man (the worker) as he tried to get inside (the garland)," Modi said.

(With inputs from PTI)