India, J&K people happy with scrapping of special status: JP Nadda

BJP working president J P Nadda here on Monday claimed that the entire country were happy with the scrapping of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Even people of Jammu and Kashmir are happy with the decision, he claimed.

"India is happy. People of J-K are happy too as they have got an opportunity to join the mainstream," he said, adding that the decision was in the interest of the newly carved union territory.

Now 104 laws passed by Parliament would be applicable to J-K, he said hailing the "will power" and "tactics" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, respectively, for the decision.

Nadda claimed that earlier women marrying those from outside the state were deprived of their property rights, which was discriminatory.

Interacting with party workers here ahead of the assembly polls, Nadda said a delimitation exercise would be carried out in Jammu and Kashmir and reservation would be provided to the SCs/STs.

In an apparent reference to the Gandhis, Muftis and Abdullahs, he said "three political families" kept Gujjars and Bakrawals backward.

Terming the legislation on triple talaq a key decision by the Union government, the BJP leader hit out at the Congress, saying they always indulged in "vote bank" politics.

He also urged party workers to go door-to-door to apprise people about achievements of the Centre as well as the state government.

He said the BJP had no dearth of leaders at the national or state level, claiming that their party had the right intent and programmes to take the country forward.

"Look at others, either their leader is in jail or on bail," he said targeting the opposition. He also praised the initiatives taken by the Khattar government for the welfare of people.

He told the workers that they should consider themselves fortunate for being members of the party whose membership has risen to 17 crore.

"Out of 193 nations, only seven, including India, have population in excess of 17 crore," he said.

Nadda made a mention of a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong in New Delhi last week.

The BJP leader said he told the Chinese envoy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "changed the narrative of politics in the country".

"Modiji and his government's programmes are for the benefit of the last man standing in the queue," he claimed of telling the envoy.

During his address, Chief Minister Khattar stressed that winnability and dedication towards the party would be the key criteria in selecting candidates for the upcoming polls.

He tried to reach out to those in the race for the party ticket, saying there may be more than one deserving candidate for a constituency and unsuccessful candidates should not feel disappointed.

They should instead work to ensure the victory of the candidates named by the party, he said.

He also asked the workers to counter the opposition propaganda while stating about a recent incident during his 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', in which he was heard telling a worker that "he will chop off his head".

About the incident, Khattar said he felt "remorse" as getting angry was not a good thing.

He said it made him think that the BJP had changed the political culture. "Our role is not that of a raja or maharaja, but of a self-respecting sevak," he said.

Nadda is scheduled to interact with party workers in Rohtak, Sonipat and Jhajjar on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir to begin soon after assuming new status

ALSO READ: Article 370 revoked: Kashmiri Pandits hold support rally in Melbourne