Jammu: Charging BJP with taking U-turn on issues like Article 370, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the saffron party has always exploited emotions of people of Jammu on such issues.
"BJP has taken U-turn on issues like Article 370. BJP and its earlier incarnations have been using such sensitive issues to flare up passions and exploit the sentiments of the people of the country in general and Jammu in particular and today they seem to have sold the trust of the people by asking them to forget for the sake of gaining power in J&K," he said.
Azad said BJP has always betrayed the trust of the people of Jammu and the most recent and glaring example was the cross voting by seven BJP MLAs in the Legislative Council elections.
The former chief minister was addressing public gatherings in higher reaches of Bhallessa, Inderwal and Ramban constituencies at Bharthi, Nali, Gondow, Kastigarh and Chill of Chenab Valley today to seek votes in favour of Congress candidates.
Azad said, "We have the satisfaction of never having tried to befool people for the sake of votes and gaining power and that we have tried to promote inter-regional harmony and communal amity unlike BJP which thrives on discord, divisiveness and polarisation."
Hitting back at Azad, BJP National President Amit Shah said at a poll rally in Banihal, "I have read the statement of Azad. In Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Lakdah people in large numbers are joining BJP -- Can't they see it?"
Alleging polarisation by BJP ahead of polls, Azad had yesterday accused BJP of "trying to saffronise" Jammu and Kashmir despite knowing the state's sensitive character and termed RSS a "threat".
Shah, however, said, "Is it not visible to them. Polarisation is happening -- Muslims are joining BJP."
