Modi invokes Vajpayee,woos Kashmiri youth in Punjab rally

Modi slammed the “two power centres” in the Congress-led UPA.

Taking a jibe at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,Modi said it was not clear which of the “two chiefs” was “genuine”.

Modi reached out to the youth of Kashmir by underlining their importance in the development of the nation,but lamented that the Congress-led UPA government had failed to provide them with the opportunities they deserved and wanted. “Instead of bomb,bandook (gun) and pistol,there was a need to usher in peace,unity and harmony,” he added.

He said Kashmiri youth were unemployed and dejected,but given an opportunity could rub shoulders with youngsters across the country. To drive home his point,he referred to a report in The Sunday Express about 300 J&K students joining coaching classes in Kota,Rajasthan,for entrance to engineering and medical courses.

He said 65 per cent of the youth in the country were less than 35 years old and wanted to do something for the country. “All they needed was an opportunity,” he added.

Referring to Vajpayee repeatedly,Modi said: “Had Vajpayeeji got another term in 2004,he would have healed the wounds of Kashmir.”

The problems of Kashmiri Pandits and issues relating to differences in Ladakhand Jammu and Kashmir would have been resolved,he added.

Modi also applauded the role of then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but blamed some vested interests in Pakistan for playing spoilsport. Training his guns on the Centre,Modi made scathing remarks on the UPA for failing to rise to the occasion on issues like the killing of Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan,the beheading of Indian soldiers by Pakistani soldiers and alleged killing of Indian fishermen by Italian marines. Referring to Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s “sacrifice” for the unity and integrity of the country,Modi said that under UPA dispensation “there was a threat to the unity and integrity” of India.

Among those present at the rally were Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal,former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and BJP in charge of Punjab,Shanta Kumar,national general secretary J P Nadda,Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma and veteran leader Balramji Das Tandon.

Following the rally,Modi convened a meeting of BJP leaders of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir,where he sought suggestions on various issues that would help plan the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha polls next year.