BJP moves to scuttle Cong-NC pledge to revise J&K policies

Srinagar: BJP has intensified its campaign for the J&K assembly polls as the Congress-National Conference alliance promised revisions of laws and policies instituted after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the region into two Union territories in 2019.The BJP brass has mobilised Union minister G Kishan Reddy and party’s Kashmir in-charge Ram Madhav, alongside others like its national general secretary Tarun Chugh and co-in-charge Ashish Sood, to oversee the campaign.This mobilisation followed the release of a joint manifesto by Congress and NC, which has sparked controversy with its pledge to look into the reservation policy for ST/SC and other backward classes (OBC), if given the mandate to govern. NC has also promised to rename Shankaracharya Hill as “Takht-e-Suleiman” and Hari Parbat as “Koh-e-Maran” — seen as a move to regain its foothold by appealing to Kashmir’s Muslim-majority sentiment.Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Kashmir, where he received a warm reception, has further concerned BJP.The Congress-NC alliance has promised to restore the political status quo before the abrogation of Article 370, though without restoring the article itself. Legal experts questioned whether the J&K assembly with truncated powers could reverse Union govt decisions. “I doubt the assembly can overturn orders and laws of the Centre,” lawyer Younis Bhat said Saturday.Recent Union home ministry orders further empowered the lieutenant governor over key areas, including revenue matters, raising questions about the extent of power an elected govt in the Union territory would have.BJP has promised to prevent any rollback of policies, particularly those benefiting socially backward communities in J&K. BJP’s Devender Singh Rana, a former close aide of NC vice president Omar Abdullah, said Saturday: “BJP will fight against any attempt to revise reservations granted to Dalits, Gujjars, Paharis, and OBCs — rights they only gained after the abrogation of Article 370.”He also condemned NC’s proposal to rename Shankaracharya Hill and Hari Parbat, saying: “Both places are sacred and related to our faith.”BJP sources said Ram Madhav’s presence is seen as key to mobilising a party cadre disillusioned with local functionaries following the party’s unimpressive showing in the Kashmir region in this summer’s Lok Sabha polls. Of the five LS seats, NC won three and BJP took two — both in its Jammu zone stronghold.“He is the man drawing like-minded people towards BJP in Kashmir,” party functionary Altaf Thakur commented on Madhav — a member of the RSS national executive, who is known for his role in the 2014 BJP-PDP alliance.Despite efforts by BJP’s J&K unit, led by Ravindra Raina and Ashok Kaul, the party has struggled to maintain cohesion, particularly in Kashmir valley. Local BJP functionaries have reportedly failed to effectively involve party workers in decision-making.J&K will elect a 90-member assembly after a decade-long gap — in three phases from Sept 18 to Oct 1. Votes will be counted on Oct 4.