New Delhi: After Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's remark, 'Yaha (Rajasthan) ka Kashmir se kya waasta', Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a fierce attack against the Congress party. Responding to Kharge’s statement, Shah termed it 'shameful' and stated that it has hurt the sentiments of every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation.

Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister reminded the Congress party that J&K is an integral part of India and every state, as well as citizen, has a right over J&K and vice versa. The tweet was later edited to embed an excerpt of the Congress President where he made the contentious remark. Home Minister Shah wrote, “It is shameful to hear that the Congress party is asking, ‘Kashmir se kya waasta hai?’ I would like to remind the Congress party that J&K is an integral part of India, and every state and citizen has the right over J&K, just as the people of J&K have the right over the rest of India.”

He also highlighted the utmost sacrifice of the ‘sons of Rajasthan’ for upholding peace and security in Kashmir. Home Minister Shah took a dig at the Congress leadership with the Gandhi family at the helm. He asserted that it is the Italian culture that is to blame for Congress not being able to understand the ‘Idea of India’.

The post read, “The Congress doesn’t know that many brave sons of Rajasthan have sacrificed their lives for peace and security in Kashmir. But it is not merely the fault of the Congress leaders. It is mostly the Italian culture of the Congress party that is to blame for not understanding the very idea of India.”

He also lambasted the Congress President for a factual blunder by citing Article 370 as Article 371.

“Such statements hurt every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation. People will certainly answer Congress. And for the kind information of the Congress, it was not Article 371, but Article 370, that was abrogated by the Modi government. However, it is only expected of Congress to make such horrendous mistakes. Such blunders made by it have haunted our nation for decades now”, the Home Minister further stated.

Notably, earlier in the day, while addressing a rally, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had objected to BJP leaders including PM Modi raking the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in their rallies in Rajasthan.

With his post, Shah rejected the contentious remarks by the Congress President who argued that issues of Kashmir only relate to Kashmiris, at max with Jammu residents, furthering regional chauvinism and a sense of alienation between states.

Incidentally, in the past, Congress and its supportive ecosystem have been repeatedly called out for fear-mongering about Article 371 which grants special status to parts of several states particularly hilly and North-Eastern states. They have alleged that the Modi government would abrogate Article 371 as they abrogated Article 370 provoking that it would snatch their rights.

It is notable that while Article 370 gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, which included a separate constitution and separate laws on a large number of subjects, Article 371 only grants some temporary, transition and special provisions to some states in the country. Ranging from Article 371-A to Article 371-J, this Article of the constitution gives special provisions for the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Karnataka.

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