Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he has had to shut down the internet in Kashmir to implement certain strategies to run the government after the abrogation of Article 370. In an interaction with news agency ANI, PM Modi said the high voter turnout in Kashmir was a result of his government's policies in the last five years.
"I want to tell the justice system of our country that if the government has a design and strategy to do some work. To solve such problems, work had to be done using that strategy. Sometimes I had to shut down the internet for that. Due to this, an NGO went to court and it became a big legal issue... It is very important to save the country from such NGOs," PM Modi said.
He further said: "Today, the children there proudly say that the internet has not been shut down for the last five years and we have been getting all the facilities for the last 5 years. There was some pain for a few days but it was for a good cause."
He said that the record-breaking turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections meant that voters have accepted the Constitution of India. "When the common man votes there, it is not just to make someone win. Voting means that the voter accepts the Constitution of India and expresses his dedication towards the entire spirit of India... As a result, voting records of 40 years have been broken. It is a matter of greatest satisfaction for me that my brothers and sisters from Kashmir came forward to vote with great enthusiasm. By voting, they have given a message to the world and to those who used to have doubts," he told ANI.
He further said that the nation and even the people of Kashmir did not want Article 370 in the first place. "Article 370 was the agenda of only 4-5 families, it was neither the agenda of the people of Kashmir nor the agenda of the people of the country. For their benefit, they had built such a wall of 370 and used to say that if 370 is removed, there will be a fire... Today it has been proved that after the removal of Article 370, there is a feeling of unity. The feeling of belongingness is increasing among the people of Kashmir and, hence, its direct result is also visible in elections, tourism."
PM Modi On Bengal Lok Sabha Elections
Prime Minister Modi also commented on the Calcutta High Court's decision to scrap OBC certificates for 77 communities in Bengal, mostly Muslims, terming the Mama Banerjee government's rejection of the order "unfortunate".
He said when the Calcutta HC judgment came, it became clear that a "big fraud" was taking place. "But what is even more unfortunate is that for vote bank politics, now they are also abusing the judiciary... This situation cannot be accepted under any circumstances," he said.
PM Modi said that West Bengal, which has recorded the highest voter turnout so far in the ongoing Lok Sabha polling, will be the best-performing state for the BJP this year. In an interaction with news agency ANI, PM Modi said the ruling party in the state — Trinamool Congress — is fighting for survival and that the BJP will win the maximum number of seats in Bengal.
PM Modi said, "TMC is fighting for survival in the Bengal elections. This time, the best-performing state in India is going to be West Bengal. BJP is getting maximum success in Bengal."
PM Modi On Central Agency Misuse
PM Modi sought to reply to the Opposition's charges of misuse of central agencies to gain political advantage. He termed such allegations of targeting Opposition leaders "garbage". He said he would "recycle" the garbage. "The people [Opposition] who are saying this garbage, should be asked from where have they brought this. Such discussions would be done with them only," PM Modi.
"As far as Modi is concerned, after being continuously abused for last 24 years, I have become 'gaali [abuse] proof'. Who called me 'maut ka saudaagar [trader of death]' & 'gandi naali ka keeda [pest]'," PM Modi commented on personal attacks during the election campaigns.