Dehradun, Aug 24: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday accused the Congress of supporting “terrorism” and “separatism” days after it announced its alliance with the National Conference for the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Conference in its manifesto has, among other things, pitched for a dialogue between India and Pakistan.
Reacting to their pre-poll alliance, Dhami said, “There is an upcoming assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir. In that election, the Congress party and the National Conference Party allied. It is cheating with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, in a way. They have been exposed before the public of Kashmir.
Dhami added, “The Congress party has been exposed before the country They are supporting terrorism, separatism and are opposing reservation … for the Congress party and its allies, the country is later, the party is first.”
At a press conference on August 24, the Uttarakhand chief minister posed a volley of questions to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, regarding the alliance, asking “Does Congress support promoting separatism again by talking to Pakistan instead of the youth of Kashmir?
Dhami said, “I want to ask Rahul Gandhi whether Congress supports the National Conference's promise of a ‘separate flag'? Do they want to push Kashmir back into the era of terrorism-separatism?”
The last date for filing the nomination papers is August 27.
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4. (Agencies)
