Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Pakistan was doing a “balle balle” over the Congress-National Conference alliance’s purported agenda of restoring Article 370, and suggested these parties wanted to return Jammu and Kashmir to the old days of bloodshed.

“In Pakistan, there is balle balle (celebrations) for the Congress-National Conference alliance. Pakistan looks very happy with their manifesto,” Modi told a poll rally in Katra, Jammu.

“Pakistan’s defence minister has openly supported the Congress-NC manifesto. He says the agenda of the Congress and the NC on Article 370 is the same as that of Pakistan. Their minister is saying this.”

Pakistan defence minister Khwaja Asif has been quoted as saying — in the context of some Indian parties’ demand for the restoration of Article 370 — that his government is on the same page.

While the Congress manifesto makes no mention of Article 370, the NC and the People’s Democratic Party have both vowed to fight for its restoration.

Modi said the Congress and the NC were implementing the agenda of the “master of terror”, Pakistan.

“Pakistan’s agenda destroyed generations in Jammu and Kashmir, shed our blood…. For decades, the Congress and the NC did things that suited the master of terror, Pakistan,” he said.

Modi, on his second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in a week, addressed two Assembly election rallies, in Srinagar and Katra.

Modi said that every vote for the Congress was a vote to implement the manifestos of the NC and the PDP.

Defending its alliance with the NC, the Congress had earlier underlined that the BJP had in the past tied up with both the principal Valley parties.

“They (the NC and the PDP) are saying they will restore Article 370. They want the return of the days of bloodshed,” Modi said in Katra.

“Maybe there is no excitement in Jammu and Kashmir about the Congress and the National Conference but the neighbouring country is very excited.”

Saying that Pakistan had exposed the truth of the Congress-NC alliance, the Prime Minister asserted that no power on earth could restore Article 370.

He hit out at Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remark that “devi-devtas” were not gods. “It’s an insult to our faith; the Congress should be punished for this,” Modi said.

In Srinagar, the Prime Minister said the high turnout in the first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir was proof that people here were strengthening Indian democracy.

The dominant political players in the Valley, however, argue that the strong participation reflects a vote against the unilateral changes introduced by the BJP-led central government over the last
five years.

The Election Commission of India has put the overall turnout at 58.85 per cent in the seven districts that voted on Wednesday, calling it the highest since the beginning of militancy 35 years ago.

The Lok Sabha results from Kashmir had disappointed the BJP with the National Conference and jailed politician Engineer Rashid, who are bitterly opposed to the abrogation of Article 370, sweeping all the three seats in the Valley.

Modi said this was the first time that polling in the region was being held in an atmosphere “free from terror”.

“It’s a matter of great happiness and pride for us that people have come out to cast their votes in such large numbers. The youth, women and the elderly, all voted freely,” he said.

“Kishtwar saw more than 80 per cent voting; Doda more than 71 per cent and Ramban, 67 per cent. Kulgam saw a 62 per cent turnout. At several places, all previous records were broken,” he added.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have created history. It shows that the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are touching new heights. Today, the world is watching how the people of Jammu and Kashmir are strengthening the democracy of the country.”

Modi accused the three “dynastic” parties — the Congress, NC and the PDP — of doing the politics of hate.

“For decades, they have sold articles of hate. The schools that were burnt in Kashmir (during the militancy), that fire was also sold in their bazaar of hate,” he said.

Modi claimed that these three parties always divided people while the BJP was uniting them.

“Three families have undermined jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmiri culture of inclusivity) in Kashmir’s politics,” he said.

The second phase of the Assembly elections is scheduled for September 25, and the final phase for October 1. The results are to be declared on October 8.