Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP during a rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, claiming that had the opposition INDIA bloc secured 20 more seats in the Lok Sabha elections, “they (BJP) would be in jail.” Kharge, campaigning to build momentum for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, expressed confidence that the Congress and INDIA alliance’s success in the national polls would extend to the region as well.
“They deserve to be in jail,” Kharge declared during his address, criticizing the BJP’s performance. He further remarked that despite their goal of winning 400 seats, the BJP managed only 243, while the opposition secured 234. “If we had just 20 more seats, all these people would have been behind bars,” he asserted, taking aim at the ruling party.
Kharge also criticized the BJP’s reliance on coalition partners, suggesting that the party is propped up by external support. “They are walking on one leg—one provided by Chandrababu Naidu of TDP, and another by Nitish Kumar of JD(U),” he said, accusing the government of being unstable.
During the rally, Kharge accused the BJP and RSS of trying to divide the Hindu and Muslim communities in the region. He vowed that their efforts would fail, and reiterated Congress’s commitment to unity, stating, “Congress is with the people here, and we will always remain united.”
Promises for Jammu and Kashmir
In addition to his critiques, Kharge made several key promises for Jammu and Kashmir, should the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance come to power. Among the guarantees were a health insurance scheme offering coverage of ₹25 lakh per family, rehabilitation for Kashmiri Pandit migrants, and a monthly financial benefit of ₹3,000 for women heads of households. Kharge also pledged to create jobs, fill 1 lakh vacant government posts, and reopen schools that had been shut down.
Kharge accused the BJP of neglecting the region, stating, “Infrastructure development has stopped here, and there are no new jobs or factories. The BJP wants to keep the people of Jammu and Kashmir poor.” He promised that if Congress came to power, they would ensure job creation and economic development in the region.
BJP’s Response: “Emergency Mindset”
Kharge’s comments drew sharp criticism from the BJP, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accusing Congress of maintaining an “Emergency mindset.” Poonawalla referenced the period of Emergency imposed by Congress in the mid-1970s, stating, “Kharge’s remarks show their dictatorial mentality. They want to jail their opponents, just like Indira Gandhi did during the Emergency.”
The BJP spokesperson also accused Kharge of hypocrisy, pointing out that Congress remained silent on the alleged undemocratic actions of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Poonawalla further highlighted an earlier statement made by Kharge, in which he suggested that winning the Jammu and Kashmir elections would give Congress control over the entire country.
As the political battle heats up ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, Kharge’s bold remarks and the BJP’s swift response have set the stage for a fierce contest between the two parties.
