New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has accused the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance of sharing the "same agenda" as that of Pakistan.
Union Minister Chouhan was reacting to Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's statement in which he reportedly stated that the Shehbaz Sharif government and the Congress-NC alliance are aligned on the matter of restoring Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The statement by the Pakistani Defence Minister proves that Pakistan, Congress, and the National Conference share the same intentions and agenda. That's why Rahul Gandhi continues to make anti-national remarks, demands evidence of surgical strikes and airstrikes, (and) makes objectionable comments about the army. Other Congress leaders also make similar statements. It is very unfortunate that Rahul's Congress stands with Pakistan today...," Union Minister Chouhan said on Thursday.
He further said that Pakistan, Congress and the NC must realise that neither Article 370 will be restored, nor terrorism will flourish in J&K. "Their intentions would be never fulfilled," the Union Minister said, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never allow such a thing to happen.
Union Minister Chouhan, who is also the BJP's election in charge for Jharkhand, slammed the Congress-JMM alliance in the state over the "declining" population of tribals in Santhal Pargana.
He claimed that the two parties are engaged in appeasement, making it "impossible" for people to live in peace. The Union Minister said that the BJP would apprise the public of what the Jharkhand government is doing.
"Hemant Soren has opposed 'One Country One Election'; election work goes on throughout the year in the country, hampering the development work," he said, adding that the people of Jharkhand have made up their mind to "overthrow the government".
According to Union Minister Chouhan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will join the BJP's ongoing 'Parivartan Yatra' in the state on September 21.
IANS