HYDERABAD: Taking serious exception to National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah’s call for a second prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday sought an explanation from all constituents of the maha gathbandhan on whether they supported their ally.
Addressing an election meeting at LB Stadium here, Modi wanted to know if the leader of the maha gathbandhan — the Congress — wanted to turn the clock back to 1953, when Kashmir used to have a separate Prime Minister.
Exposing the fault lines in the alliance of Opposition parties, the prime minister poked at the parties individually on the new demand. “I want to know if the constituents of the alliance subscribe to the idea of Jammu and Kashmir having a separate prime minister. The Congress has remained silent on the demand, and so also the others. As the leader of the alliance, let the Congress come forward and spell out its stand,” the prime minister said.
Modi was reacting to Abdullah’s statement at a recent election rally in Jammu and Kashmir, where he said he wanted to restore the right of the people to elect their president and prime minister, which existed prior to 1953. This right was the condition on which Kashmir became part of India, Abdullah had said.
The prime minister called out West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asking if she shared Abdullah’s view, since the NC is an important constituent of the maha gathbandhan. “You (Mamata) shout a lot. Now speak up,” he said.
Modi also took a potshot at AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on what his stand was. “The other day U-turn babu (Naidu) was sharing the dais with Farooq Abdulla. Is he with him on this demand?” he asked, and turned his attention to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, asking if he liked the idea. “You were defence minister and chief minister in the past. What do you say?” he taunted. Picking up HD Deve Gowda, Modi asked him to come out on this demand.”You were prime minister in the past. What is your reply?” he asked, trying to take the wind out of the Opposition’s sails.
Modi, who dwelt at length on the security of the nation, asserted that he would continue to stand up to any threat. “Modi will remain a wall between enemies of the nation and the people.” He blamed the opposition for strengthening the hands of the enemies of the nation and pointed out that the Opposition parties were more concerned with the elections than the security of the nation.
Modi also took a dig at KCR, calling TRS a dynasty party. He also wanted people to see the development in Old City on one side of Musi River and then the city on the other side. “There is no metro rail to Old City. There is a speed-breaker in AIMIM, which is stalling development. In fact, the steering wheel of the car (TRS) is in the hands of the AIMIM,” he said.