Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have given a befitting reply to the gun by opting for ballots in large numbers and had shown their faith in democracy.
Campaigning for the second phase of the assembly elections, he said the state has been "stuck" at the same place for the last 30 years due to lack of development and accused the ruling National Conference, the Congress party and the People’s Democratic Party of indulging in corruption and looting the state besides "emotionally blackmailing" people.
Attacking those who have given a poll boycott call, the prime minister said, "Those people were suppressing the power of the ballot with the bullet.”
"I have come for the second time for campaigning in J&K. For the first time I had gone to Chenab area (Kishtwar) in J&K. But the way polling has taken place, I want to congratulate those voters of J&K who have voted in large numbers and made democracy victorious," Modi told an election rally in Udhampur.
In the first phase of the assembly elections, J&K had registered a record 71.28 percent turnout. People had ignored the boycott calls by separatists and the cold weather to cast their votes in 15 constituencies.
Modi said, "Militants are frustrated because they feel that despite the use of guns and bombs, democracy is still alive inside the state.”
Taking a dig at such forces, he said, "Despite their frustration, the people of J&K have shown their faith in democracy.”
The prime minister said the people have shown that they are not going to be terrorised.
"With their morale high, they are going to decide the future of J&K in its democracy. I want to congratulate the people -- it is not congratulations from Modi but from 125 crore people of India -- the entire country is proud of you," Modi said.
The prime minister said, "A message has gone to the entire world."
Seeking a full majority for his party to form the government in J&K, Modi said, "I have full faith that the Bharatiya Janata Party will form the government with full majority in J&K and it will get an opportunity in this regard."
Photograph: Umar Ganie
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