Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that Pakistan has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a seven-billion-dollar bailout package, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given more than this for the PF package for J&K.
“Pakistan is requesting the IMF for a USD 7 billion bailout package. They could have asked India. PM Modi has given more than this in the PF package for J&K. They are in this condition because they domesticated snakes,” said Rajnath Singh while addressing a public rally in Jammu.
“We have done whatever we promised in the BJP election manifesto. We spoke about the abrogation of Article 370, and we did it as soon as we got the majority in centre. I feel pained by what Omar Abudullah said and did. He said that he won’t fight in elections till the J&K restores statehood, but now he is fighting from two constituencies. Parties like the PDP, NC, and Congress claim that they will give statehood to J&K. How will they? They do not have government in the centre. Without that, it is not possible. Politics should not be done to win in elections. It must be done to build a country,” Rajnath Singh said slamming J&K opposition parties.
“The defence minister of Pakistan has said that Article 370 can only be restored by NC and Congress. I want to ask NC and Congress if they are working as Pakistan’s proxy,” he pointed out.
He assured that J&K’s statehood will be restored if people get the BJP government formed in the valley. Adding to that, he said, “It is not just me speaking that PM Modi has himself assured on J&K’s statehood restoration. 61 per cent of voting has been recorded in J&K, in the first phase of assembly elections, and it happened because of the abrogation of Article 370.”
Singh on Sunday addressed three public meetings in Poonch, Rajouri, and Jammu during his election campaign in the Union Territory.
Jammu and Kashmir is voting for its 90-member assembly in three phases. The first phase of voting took place on September 18. Notably, a voter turnout of 61.13 pc was registered in the first phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, which were held on 24 constituencies in seven districts on September 18.
Voting for the second and third phases in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Votes will be counted on October 8.
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an interesting contest with several political parties and independents in the fray. NCP and Congress have forged a pre poll alliance in the UT. These elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370, are being held after nearly a decade in the Union Territory.