Hitting back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in connection with Kashmir, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday (December 7) dared the Centre to “get back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir” (PoK) before the 2024 general elections and said that if the BJP does so, it would “get all the votes of entire India” in next year’s Lok Sabha polls. He said that the saffron party has been in power for nearly 10 years and was earlier at the helm during Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and asked who had stopped it from reclaiming PoK.
“This matter should be discussed in the House for the entire day. This is not a small matter. It is not only Amit Shah who knows the history of India, there must be others too. So, people of the country would get to know. There should be a debate on the issue for the entire day in the House,” Chowdhury said.
“Supposed that Nehru did commit the mistake that the BJP has been complaining about for decades, Amit Shah had said that PoK would be brought back when Article 370 was scrapped in 2019. It has been 10 years since PM Modi came to power, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power for 6 years. At least bring an apple from PoK. They talk big here. So, who is stopping the BJP?...Get back PoK before 2024 elections. You will get all the votes of entire India,” he added.
What had Amit Shah said that triggered the Opposition?
Amit Shah, while discussing Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which were later passed by the Lower House, yesterday, said that Nehru had committed two mistakes which cost India.
“Two mistakes that happened due to the decision of (former PM) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru due to which Kashmir had to suffer for many years. The first is to declare a ceasefire - when our army was winning, the ceasefire was imposed. If there had been a ceasefire after three days, PoK would have been a part of India today... The second is to take our internal issue to the UN,” Shah said.
Opposition reacts
RJD MP Manoj Jha also retorted to Shah’s remark and suggested holding a 12-hour-long discussion about him one day.
“Read the letters of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, look at the last phase of Mahadev Desai. You will get to know everything. I believe that if you are so scared of Nehru, even today, you should set up the Ministry of Jawaharlal Nehru and have a 12-hour-long discussion about him one day. The reality will be out..." he said.
The Winter Session of the Parliament commenced on December 4 and will continue till December 22.
(With ANI inputs)
