The leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Tuesday alleged that the situation in Kashmir has “deteriorated in the last five years” during the BJP-led NDA regime.
“During the rein of our government, militancy in Kashmir almost came to an end. Tourists too were coming in huge numbers,” said Azad.
“But, with the NDA government coming to power in 2014, we have lost maximum number of soldiers; militancy too jumped many folds; ceasefire violation incidents have taken place, a whopping 5500 times; and people living near the border areas, have been the worst suffers,” added the Congress leader.
Azad said these while addressing a Congress party workers’ meeting in Baskandi under Cachar district of Assam on Tuesday.
Addressing a gathering, also on the occasion of panchayat members of AIUDF joining the Congress party, Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “All must vote for a secular Congress party in the forthcoming general elections. Congress party believes in peace, harmony and brotherhood among various communities and religion. Other political parties stoop low and play politics on divisive lines, which we do neither follow nor do or we practice.”
He also added, “Sushmita’s father, late Santosh Mohon Dev, despite being senior to me, was a very close friend of mine, for which, I had the opportunity to visit Silchar many times in the past 35 years.”
“Sushmita, his (Santosh Mohan Dev) daughter, too is a vibrant leader and is a vocal force for our party in Parliament. We should vote for her and make her a union minister if we come back to power,” said Azad who vociferously campaigned for her in his brief stopover of Barak valley that began on Monday.
Sushmita Dev, MP from Silchar and All India Mahila Congress president, in her address, said, “BJP party would not only lose both the seats of Silchar and Karimganj one more time, but will also face their worst defeat.”
“They (BJP) have made false promises without fulfilling any of it, in the last five years, both at the state as well at the Centre. We should win both these two seats and give it as a gift to our national president, Rahul Gandhi,” added Dev.
Later, talking exclusively to Northeast Now, Azad said, “Our party’s prospect in the forthcoming general elections is bright. We are forging alliances with other like-minded parties for a suitable winning combination. In the last five years, BJP and its NDA government has not done anything.”
“All its (BJP’s) promises have been futile. Be it bringing back the black money, or providing employment to 10 crore people, or promises made for the farmers, have not been fulfilled during their tenure. The BJP has failed to keep their promises and failed in all counts,” said Azad.
Before his departure back to Delhi on Tuesday evening, Ghulam Nabi Azad also visited Darul Uloom, a deemed university, which is Northeast’s biggest Islamic institution, along with MP Sushmita Dev, former Assam minister Ajit Singh, and Lakhipur MLA Rajdeep Goala.