Congress leader Digvijay Singh has courted controversy after he told a Pakistani journalist that his party would have a ‘relook at the issue of Article 370 if it comes to power. Top BJP functionaries including Sambit Patra, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and party’s social media head Amit Malviya have moved in with lightning speed to share the audio of Singh’s controversial remarks.
file photoIn the audio clip, Singh is heard saying to a Pakistani journalist, “Democracy was not there in Kashmir when they revoked article 370. Then insaniyat (humanity) was not there because they had put everyone behind bars. And Kashmiriyat is something, which is basically the fundamentals of secularism. Because in a Muslim majority state, there was a Hindu raja (king) , and both worked together. In fact, reservation in government services was given to Kashmiri Pandits.”
Singh added, “Therefore, the decision of revoking Article 370 and reducing the statehood of J&K is an extremely, I would say, sad decision. And the Congress party would definitely like to have to have a re-look at the decision.”
Sharing the audio clip, Malviya tweeted, “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…”
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
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted, “Madam Sonia Gandhi ji must clear her party’s stand clear on the issue of Article 370. Is she doesn;t clarify, then it would be deemed that she agrees with the statement made by Digvijay Singh ji.” Chouhan also released a video message saying that the Congress was always with Pakistan.
दिग्विजय सिंह जी, हम जानते हैं कि आपके मन में धारा 370 हटने का दर्द है, लेकिन हमारे प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी हैं, उनके पीछे पूरा देश खड़ा है! pic.twitter.com/tym7ZvKXt6
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) June 12, 2021
Patra, for his part, said, “A Pakistani journalist asks a question about the new government in India and its policy on Kashmir after Narendra Modi relinquishes power. Digvijay ji thanks the Pakistani journalist for his question and says that the Congress government once again restores Article 370 if Narendra Modi relinquishes power and the Congress party forms the government.”
दिग्विजय जी ऐसे सवाल पर उस पत्रकार को धन्यवाद देते हैं और कहते हैं कि अगर मोदी जी सत्ता से हटते हैं और कांग्रेस की सरकार आती है तो वो जम्मू-कश्मीर में अनुच्छेद 370 को फिर से स्थापित करेगी।
– डॉ @sambitswaraj https://t.co/1aLOcu13h7
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 12, 2021
Responding to the criticism, Digvijay Singh tweeted, “It may look delusional to Shefali but Millions of Congress Workers Sympathisers and all those who are opposed to BJPModiShah regime would fight every inch to vote out this disastrous regime.” He added in another tweet, “The group of illiterates does know the difference between ‘Shall’ and ‘Reconsider’.”
It may look delusional to Shefali but Millions of Congress Workers Sympathisers and all those who are opposed to BJPModiShah regime would fight every inch to vote out this disastrous regime. https://t.co/OmZdv5r4Wj
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 12, 2021
The Narendra Modi government had revoked Article 370 and downgraded the status of Jammu and Kashmir to a union territory in August 2019. The government had also placed prominent Kashmiri politicians under detention for months.