Promising to “establish Ram Rajya and implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC)“ if the NDA is voted to power, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on April 15 minced no words to warn neighbours bordering Jammu and Kashmir against any provocation.
Without naming either Pakistan or China, Mr. Singh said, “India already displayed its power and can strike the enemy from its own soil and also in the enemy’s territory across the Line of Control. India has emerged as the world’s strongest country on all fronts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The Defence Minister referred to India’s surgical strike inside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in September 2016. He highlighted PM Modi’s efforts during the Russia-Ukraine conflict to rescue Indians. “Indian students were caught in the conflict. Missiles were being fired from Russia as well as Ukraine. The PM spoke to the Presidents of Russia, Ukraine and America. The war was stopped for four-and-a-half hours and 22,500 of our students came to India from Ukraine,” Mr. Singh said.
Mr. Singh cited implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, scrapping of Article 370 and building the Ram Temple and said the BJP always fulfils promises made in its election manifesto.
“Time is not far to establish Ram Rajya. It has already started. Ram Rajya is about fulfilling duties. The implementation of the UCC is on the anvil. Triple talaq was done away with because it compromised the dignity of women,” he said.
The Defence Minister targeted the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress, and accused them of “misusing Article 370 for their own political benefits”.
“I saw pictures of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi playing with the snowballs in Kashmir. It was only possible because of abrogation of Article 370. Was it possible earlier,” he asked.
Referring to a statement by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in which she had warned of bloodshed if Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was scrapped, Mr. Singh said, “She (Mehbooba) once remarked that ‘khoon ki nadiya bahengi’. I assure all, not streams of blood but streams of milk will flow given the ongoing development and prosperity in J&K,” he said.
The Defence Minister was campaigning in Udhampur-Doda seat’s Basohli area and urged voters to re-elect Dr. Jitendra Singh.
