Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday derided the BJP for making empty promises to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and not helping the State after the devastating floods in September.
“Why is the work of rehabilitation after the floods going so slowly? You must remember the earthquake in Uri during our UPA government and also how Ghulam Nabi Azad’s government worked day and night to bring relief from Delhi,” Ms. Gandhi said addressing a rally in north Kashmir's Bandipora district where senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saifudin Soz were also present.
“But what is happening today? Today, the BJP is ruling at the Centre, but it seems as if it is not concerned with the problems of people here. They [BJP] have not even given the money needed for the relief and rehabilitation for which the State government had sent a proposal,” she said.
Ms. Gandhi spoke about her family connection with Kashmir and her support and respect for the people in the wake of their valiant efforts during and after the recent floods. The Congress president promised creation of a regional council for Jammu and Kashmir and development councils for the Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley belts, and a new air strip to promote tourism in the Valley.
She urged the people to cast their vote in favour of secular forces and not fall for the dreams that the BJP was showing them.
“It is easy to show people dreams but it is very difficult to face the realities on the ground and work towards making a nation that doesn’t discriminate on the basis of personal or communal differences and gives everyone an equal right to progress. That is what the Congress has done everywhere,” she said.
The Congress leaders in their address to the people reiterated that only the Congress, and not any regional party, had the power to fight the rightwing forces in the country.
“All these regional parties are going to join hands with the BJP because these parties end at Banihal and have no presence outside the Valley. Only the Congress is present everywhere to fight with the BJP and it is the only party that can defeat the BJP,” Mr. Azad said.
