Samba (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 12 : Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday said that if 'Shehzada' can visit Jammu and Kashmir then it is because of PM Modi.
Ahead of J-K polls, CM Dhami addressed a rally in Samba garnering support for BJP candidate Surjeet Singh Salathia.
"Recently, former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who used to be Home Minister in Manmohan Singh government, said that he used to be scared of visiting Lal Chowk in Kashmir. Today, if the 'Shehzada' of Congress can visit Jammu & Kashmir, then its credit also goes to Modi ji," Dhami said.
Dhami urged the public to 'defeat' the thinking of PDP, Congress, and NC in the upcoming elections and 'create history'.
"They (opposition parties) talk like this that the trade should be opened with Pakistan, talks should resume, and people who are arrested in incidents of terrorism, separatism, and stone pelting should be released. This is not only my question but the question of everyone, should the 'Shakracharya Parvat' be renamed to 'Sulevan Parvat'. This is the kind of thinking is of Abdulla, NC, Congress, and PDP. We have to defeat this thinking of the PDP Congress and National Conference. This is the time to create history," Dhami said.
Dhami further spoke about the abrogation of Article 370.
"This is the first time elections in J&K are happening after abrogation of Article 370. A positive impact of this was seen in Lok Sabha elections in record voting," Dhami said.
"Earlier, there used to be a shadow of terrorism during Baba amarnath yatra. But today more than 5 lakh devotees have had darshan of Baba Amarnath. Cinema theatres open at night in the Valley. Tazia processions are also taken out. This is the new Jammu & Kashmir we had been waiting for. This is Modi ji's new picture of J&K, where our Tricolour is hoisted at Lal Chowk and not Pakistan flag," Dhami further added.
Polling in J-K would be held in three phases starting from September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.