Budgam, May 20: Senior National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Chrar-e-Sharief, Abdul Rahim Rather on Wednesday targeted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the abrogation of Article 370, saying the party must answer how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to gain a foothold in the region after 2014.
Speaking to media persons in Chadoora area of Budgam district, Rather said that the BJP had never hidden its agenda regarding Article 370 and Article 35A. “They created this situation precisely—they engineered the entire scenario. Which party abolished statehood? Which party abrogated Article 370 and removed Article 35A? This had been the BJP’s agenda all along,” he said.
He said the BJP had openly declared that it would revoke Article 370 if voted to power. “They never concealed this intention. They came to power and implemented what they had promised,” Rather, also the Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, said.
Taking a dig at the PDP, the senior NC leader said the people of Jammu and Kashmir should judge who facilitated the BJP’s entry into the region. “For 40 to 50 years, the BJP could not establish a foothold here. Then what happened after 2014 that they managed to enter? I do not blame the BJP because they were clear about their agenda. The real question is—who helped them? PDP should answer this,” he added.
Earlier, Rather inaugurated a newly constructed bridge at Chowdarygund over Nallah Apzari in Chadoora area of Budgam district. The bridge project, executed by the PW(R&B) Department Division Chadoora, was started in January 2023 at a cost of around Rs 4.75 crore.
Locals expressed happiness over the completion of the bridge, saying it would improve connectivity and ease transportation for residents, especially during rainy seasons and bad weather—(KNO)
