BJP attacks Cong as ex-Home Minister Shinde narrates his fear of Kashmir visits

New Delhi: Taking potshots at the Congress over former home minister Sushil Shinde’s remarks, the BJP on Tuesday said the security of the country is “so strong” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership that even the opposition leaders play with snow in Kashmir without any fear.

This came after Shinde, a senior Congress leader, at the launch of his memoir said that he was scared while visiting Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir during his ministerial stint.

In the same breath, Shinde was heard saying he said this to make the audience laugh.

Latching on to Shinde’s remark, senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal said in a post on X, “During the Congress rule, even the Home Minister of the country was afraid of going to Kashmir.”

“But now, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modiji, the security of the nation is so strong that even the opposition leaders play with snow in Kashmir, without any fear,” he added.

कांग्रेस के राज में, देश के गृह मंत्री भी कश्मीर जाने से डरते थे।

लेकिन अब, PM @NarendraModi जी के नेतृत्व में, राष्ट्र की सुरक्षा इतनी मजबूत है कि 'विपक्ष के नेता' भी कश्मीर में, बिना किसी भय के, बर्फ से खेलते हैं। https://t.co/LEjQcCGMSt

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 10, 2024

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the former home minister has admitted that he was scared of visiting Jammu and Kashmir but the Congress and the National Conference want to take back the Union Territory back to days of terror.

“Today Rahul Gandhi was comfortably seen doing Bharat Jodo Yatra and snow fight in Kasmir. But NC and Congress want to take back J&K back to days of terror,” he said in a post on X.

UPA era Home Minister Sushil Shinde admits he was scared of going to J&K

“They told me to go Kashmir and do Photo-op at Dal lake for me and UPA's Public image as Home Minister of India. But I was scared"

Today Rahul Gandhi was comfortably seen doing Bharat Jodo Yatra & snow… pic.twitter.com/ly4Nx1bLQQ

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) September 10, 2024

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said the abrogation of Article 370 has changed the lives of people in Kashmir, strengthened democracy at the grass roots and diminished the influence of “corrupt Abdullahs and Muftis".

“Things have changed dramatically since... Even ‘balak buddhi’ and his sister were seen indulging themselves in a game of snowball fight,” he said, adding, “Recently, third time fail Rahul Gandhi visited an ice cream parlour, late in the night. Lal Chowk and Dal Lake are among the most frequented places.”

At the launch of his memoir, UPA era Home Minister Sushil Shinde admits that things were so bad in Kashmir valley in those days that उनकी भी वहाँ जाने में फटती थी।

Things have changed dramatically since. 2-3 crore tourists visit Jammu & Kashmir every year. Even Balak Buddhi and… pic.twitter.com/2YqRjRiqWm

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 10, 2024