Rahul could hoist tiranga at Lal Chowk due to Modi: BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created such an atmosphere in Kashmir that any Indian can hoist the national flag with pride at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Sunday and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to thank him for the change in the Valley.

The comments from BJP spokesperson and former Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore came after Gandhi unfurled the tricolour at the historic clock tower of Lal Chowk, popularly known as 'Ghanta Ghar', as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra', which concludes on Monday.

'Rahul Gandhi is hoisting tiranga with pride at Lal Chowk. PM Modi and his government had created such a situation in Kashmir that every Indian can unfurl tiranga with pride there. Rahul Gandhi must thank Modi ji after unfurling tiranga,' he said in a statement.

Echoing similar views, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina said the credit for Gandhi unfurling the national flag goes to Modi who normalised the situation in the Valley with the abrogation of Article 370.

Gandhi was able to do it because of the policies of Prime Minister Modi who dealt a severe blow to separatism and terrorism by abrogating Article 370 (in 2019) and strengthened nationalist forces, paving way for the normalisation of the situation and return of peace to the region, he said in Jammu.

Raina said the Congress ruled the country for most part of the past seven decades but none of its leaders dared to unfurl the tricolour at Lal Chowk.

Modi, along with the then BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi, unfurled the national flag at the same venue when terrorism was at its peak in 1990, he said.

Today, peace and normalcy have returned to Kashmir due to the efforts of Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Gandhi was able to move to Lal Chowk and unfurl the tricolour which none of his party leaders could do in the past 70 years, the BJP leader said.

Referring to the recent statement of All India Congress Committee in-charge J-K Rajni Patil that Gandhi will unfurl the national flag at the party headquarters rather than Lal Chowk which is the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Raina said, "Though late, the Congress has started working on the nationalist agenda of the RSS."

"We want to tell Gandhi and his party leaders to learn from the RSS members who have nationalist sentiments in their hearts and work for the nation," he said in a swipe at the Congress.