Digvijaya Singh's remarks on Article 370 spark row; 'this is what Pakistan wants', says Amit Malviya

The BJP on Saturday slammed Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's comments regarding the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh, who was speaking to a Pakistan-based journalist on the Clubhouse app, allegedly said that the Congress will consider restoring the region's special status if it comes to power in the Union Territory.

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya shared a purported clip of the conversation on Twitter, in which Singh said, "Democracy was not there in Kashmir when they revoked Article 370, ‘insaniyat’ was not there as they had put everyone behind bars. Meanwhile, ‘Kashmiriyat’ is something that is the fundamentals of secularism. Because in a Muslim-majority state there was a Hindu king and both worked together."

News18 further quoted him as saying, "In fact, the reservation in Kashmir was given to Kashmiri pandits, therefore, the decision of revoking Article 370 and reducing the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, is a sad decision. And the Congress party will certainly have to relook at this issue."

In a Club House chat, Rahul Gandhi’s top aide Digvijaya Singh tells a Pakistani journalist that if Congress comes to power they will reconsider the decision of abrogating Article 370…

Really? यही तो पाकिस्तान चाहता है… pic.twitter.com/x08yDH8JqF

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 12, 2021

Madya Pradesh chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Congress of "speaking Pakistan's language".

"Congress is speaking the language of Pakistan. By restoring Article 370, does he (Singh) want to fan the flames of terrorism and separatism in Kashmir? Sonia Gandhi, this country needs an answer from you," he said.

Other BJP MPs from across the country also criticised the party for Singh's statement:

Once in power, Congress will relook on abrogation of Article 370 - Digvijaya Singh

Pak & Congress leadership are on same pedestal - poor governance, low credibility, bleak future & yet dream about freeing Kashmir from India

Birds of the same feather flock together!#Clubhouse

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) June 12, 2021

Congress's first love is Pakistan.

Digvijay Singh conveyed Rahul Gandhi's message to Pakistan.

Congress will help Pakistan in grabbing Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/eYl3cnzYo0

— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) June 12, 2021

Responding to the flak, Singh called the saffron party members "illiterate".

"Illiterate people probably don't understand the difference between 'shall' and 'consider'," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

अनपढ़ लोगों की जमात को
Shall और Consider में फ़र्क़
शायद समझ में नहीं आता।

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 12, 2021

Additionally, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah was quoted by ANI as saying that Singh had "realised the sentiments" of the people.

#WATCH | I'm very grateful to Digvijaya Singh Ji. He has realized sentiments of people as other parties who have also spoken about it. I welcome it heartily & hope govt will look into it again: National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Singh's remark during a Clubhouse chat pic.twitter.com/4Mh9LrSX61

— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2021

With inputs from agencies