Political Clash: Congress-NC Support for Article 370 Sparks Controversy

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticizes Congress for aligning with Pakistan over Article 370, saying it is 'unfortunate.' BJP leaders Sat Sharma and Pawan Kumar Gupta accuse Congress and NC of supporting separatism and terrorism in J-K. Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif backs Congress-NC stand.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday condemned Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's support of the Congress-NC alliance's stance on Article 370, terming it 'unfortunate' and accusing Congress of aligning with Pakistan. 'The statement of the Pakistan Defence Minister proves that Pakistan, the Congress party and NC have the same intentions and agenda. That's why Rahul Gandhi gives anti-national statements, asks for evidence of an airstrike and surgical strike and makes objectionable comments about the Army. This is very unfortunate. Today, Rahul Gandhi's Congress is standing with Pakistan. PM Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of this nation. Neither Article 370 will be reinstated nor terrorism will exist. Their (Congress, NC, and Pakistan) plans will never succeed,' Chouhan told reporters.

Meanwhile, Sat Sharma, the working president of J-K BJP, stated that Congress and NC have consistently supported 'separatism' in Jammu and Kashmir. 'These political parties have always supported separatism here. Pakistan has always spread terrorism here. That's why today the Pakistan Defence Minister has given such a statement...These political parties have always worked on the orders of Pakistan...Pakistan's interference in the matters of India will not be tolerated,' Sharma said.

Pawan Kumar Gupta, BJP candidate from Udhampur West Assembly constituency, responded to Asif supporting the Congress-NC alliance on Article 370, saying Congress has failed to understand the people of Kashmir. 'Congress, PDP, and NC have always misused Article 370...You cannot have a nation within a nation...Their demand is irrelevant. Those who were most troubled by the abrogation of Article 370 were China and Pakistan. If Congress and NC are troubled by this on the same note, then there is no place for such parties in politics,' Gupta stated.

On Capital Talk with Hamid Mir, Asif was asked if Pakistan and the Congress-NC alliance are aligned on restoring Article 370 and 35A in J-K. Asif confirmed, saying, 'Absolutely. Even our demand is also the same...'

Asif further claimed that Article 370 could be reinstated if the Congress-NC alliance comes to power in J-K. 'I think it is possible. Currently, the National Conference and Congress have very big importance over there. The population of the valley has been motivated a lot on this issue and I believe, there is a chance that the Conference (National Conference) will come to power. They have made this an election issue that the status of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored,' Asif told Geo News.

(With inputs from agencies.)