Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a fresh dig at the Opposition on December 26, this time citing how peacefully the Jammu and Kashmir District Development Council (DDC) elections concluded recently.
Attacking those who “teach him democracy every day”, the Prime Minister said: “There are people in Delhi who always taunt and insult me. They want to teach me lessons in democracy. I want to show them Jammu and Kashmir DDC polls as an example of democracy.”PM Modi launches Ayushman Bharat scheme to extend health insurance coverage to all J-K residents
Continuing with his veiled attacks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for saying there is no democracy in India, PM Modi said: “Some political forces keep lecturing on democracy but see their duplicity and hollowness. The party that rules in Puducherry hasn't conducted local body elections despite the Supreme Court's order, whereas Jammu and Kashmir held Panchayat-level polls within one year after becoming a union territory.”
Explaining why BJP had pulled out of the alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the PM said: “We were a part of Jammu and Kashmir government. But you know why we walked out? Our demand was panchayat elections should be held and people be given their due rights to choose their representatives. Now you have your representatives who will work for you. Braving COVID-19, cold, voters came out and the election was peaceful.”
Thanking the people of J&K for strengthening democracy in the UT, he said: “I would like to congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir for strengthening democracy. I saw how the young and the old reached the voting booths in the District Development Council (DDC) polls. The people of Jammu and Kashmir strengthened the roots of democracy in the DDC polls.”
