By A Staff Reporter
In Kathua, J&K, Union Minister Jitendra Singh addressed concerns regarding Rahul Gandhi's criticisms of the Indian government during his travels abroad. "The common people of India neither accept nor support this," he stated emphatically. Singh accused mainstream parties like the PDP, NC, and Congress of having longstanding connections with Islamabad.
He elaborated on this historical context, noting that for the past 30 to 35 years, whenever polling dates were announced for Jammu and Kashmir, calls for a poll boycott would emerge from Pakistan on the same day. "Shops in Srinagar would close, and voting percentages would plummet to around 8-10%," he explained, adding that candidates backed by these parties would consistently win, perpetuating a cycle of influence.
However, Singh praised the current electoral environment under PM Modi, asserting that elections are now being conducted fairly, which he believes has undermined the conspiracies of these parties. He concluded by expressing confidence that the days of such manipulation are coming to an end.