Congress failed to abrogate Article 370 despite promising it in 1964: Modi

Continuing his diatribe against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused its leaders of failing to abrogate Article 370 despite having promised it in Parliament in 1964.

He was addressing a gathering in Rewari on the last day of election campaigning.

"During a debate in Parliament in 1964, the country's distinguished leader got upset… there was division in the Congress. There was a demand that Article 370 be nullified and there be a debate on this issue in Parliament.

"At that time, Congress leaders, with folded hands, had said that their demand would be met and Article 370 would be nullified in one year. But the matter was again put on the back burner," said Modi while addressing his second rally of the day.

"What was the compulsion and what game was being played," he asked.

He also attacked the opposition party, claiming that it did not build any memorial for jawans and policemen who sacrificed their lives for the nation for 70 years. Only the BJP government built such memorials for them.

He said that it was the BJP government which abrogated provisions of the Article 370, while the Congress was only concerned about its "personal interests".

The prime minister said that under the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, which was implemented by the BJP government, a sum of Rs 900 crore was given to around two lakh ex-soldiers in Haryana alone, he added.

Modi said the BJP government had strengthened its armed forces by bringing in modernised weapons, Rafale jets and bulletproof jackets for soldiers.