Jaipur: Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and cabinet minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Friday tore into Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and the party's functionaries over their stance on the abrogation of Article 370, saying they can never bring it back in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Rahul Gandhi ji, let alone you yourself, even if you bring back your father," said Sharma in his address at a campaign rally in Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency to stress that no amount of effort by Congress can bring back Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In an apparent slip of tongue, the CM, however, ended up frequently using the word "removing" instead of "restoring" while referring to Article 370, which later resulted in animated discussions in political circles and on social media.
Campaigning for BJP candidate Rajendra Gurjar for the upcoming bypoll in Deoli-Uniara, Sharma described Article 370 as a "stain on the nation" and condemned Congress for aligning with those supporting its restoration. He accused Congress of indulging in divisive politics and stirring issues of caste and religion during elections. "They only care about votes, not the development of the state or the nation," he asserted.
Rathore addressed a news conference at BJP's state headquarters in Jaipur and accused Congress of promoting a divisive and separatist ideology. He claimed that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his party persistently attempted to fragment India, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah thwarted those efforts.
"Congress is willing to go to any lengths, even risking the nation's unity, to regain power, but Prime Minister Modi laid Article 370 to rest permanently," said Rathore, declaring that no amount of effort by Congress and its allies can bring Article 370 back.
At the rally in Deoli-Uniara, the CM said BJP delivers on its promises and that nearly 50% of its manifesto pledges for Rajasthan were already fulfilled in just 10 months of his govt. "What you have seen so far is just the trailer of development; the full picture is yet to come," he said.
Sharma highlighted BJP's commitment to understanding and addressing farmers' issues and promised daytime power supply to ease their hardship of working in cold winter nights. He also slammed Congress for its previous state govt's failure to prevent exam paper leaks in Rajasthan, saying they affected recruitment exams and left many youths in the lurch. "We have already taken action, putting 200 people behind bars, and we will not spare anyone who tries to compromise students' futures," said Sharma.
The CM also criticised Congress over the filling of vacant positions in govt departments during its term, accusing the previous Ashok Gehlot govt of inaction. "We are actively creating jobs and have even released a recruitment calendar, aiming to provide 1 lakh jobs this year and 10 lakh over the next five years in both govt and private sectors," he said.
Sharma credited PM Modi's leadership for driving India's progress and promised that Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) would bring water to entire Tonk district.