Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a fiery address at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Doda on Saturday, framed the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections as a showdown between entrenched political dynasties and the aspirations of the region’s youth.
With sharp rhetoric, Modi directly targeted the Gandhis, Abdullahs, and Muftis, holding them accountable for decades of stagnation and turmoil in the region. He portrayed the BJP as the only force capable of breaking the grip of these families, accusing them of prioritizing power over the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir’s people.
Modi sought to reassure voters about the BJP’s commitment to the region, promising that his government would restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. However, he cautioned against trusting those who he claimed had been “snatching your rights for decades for their vested interests.”
The Prime Minister painted a stark contrast between past and present, asserting that terrorism was now “breathing its last” in Jammu and Kashmir. He recalled a time when security concerns forced shops to close at sunset and markets to empty, contrasting it with the current climate of development. Modi’s visit to Doda marked the first time in 47 years that a sitting Prime Minister had traveled to the area.
This election comes after a decade-long hiatus and follows significant constitutional changes implemented by the BJP-led central government in 2019, including the revocation of Articles 370 and 35-A. The 90-member assembly will be elected in three phases, with results expected on October 8. Throughout his speech, Modi accused the three prominent political families of fostering separatism, corruption, and land grabbing.
He alleged that they had prioritized their own interests over those of the general population, claiming that government jobs were disproportionately awarded to their associates. The Prime Minister appealed to voters to support BJP candidates, pledging to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a “peaceful, developed, and prosperous” region.
He highlighted his party’s manifesto, which includes promises to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits, expedite justice for terrorism victims, and provide financial support to women and students.
