Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a fierce attack on the Congress party over its alliance with the National Conference (NC) in the lead-up to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Shah accused the Congress of compromising national unity and security for political gain, questioning the party's alignment with several key issues outlined in the NC's election manifesto.

In a scathing critique, Shah directed ten pointed questions at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, challenging the party?s stance on critical issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir?s future. He alleged that the Congress?s decision to ally with the Abdullah family's National Conference was driven by a self-serving desire for power, rather than the country's stability.

"The Congress party, which has repeatedly risked the nation's unity and security to satiate its greed for power, has once again exposed its ulterior motives by allying with the Abdullah family's 'National Conference' in the Jammu and Kashmir elections," Shah stated on X (formerly Twitter).

Also Read: Congress And National Conference Announce Pre-Poll Alliance For Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Elections, Agree On Seat Sharing For All 90 Seats

Shah's Ten Questions to Congress:

1. Separate Flag: Does the Congress support the National Conference's promise of a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir?
2. Article 370 and 35A: Do Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party back the JKNC's pledge to restore Article 370 and 35A, potentially reigniting unrest and terrorism in the region?
3. Dialogue with Pakistan: Does the Congress endorse promoting separatism by engaging in dialogue with Pakistan instead of focusing on Kashmir's youth?
4. LoC Trade: Does Congress support the National Conference's plan to start 'LoC Trade' with Pakistan, which could nurture terrorism across the border?
5. Government Jobs for Relatives of Terrorists: Does Congress agree with reinstating relatives of those involved in terrorism and stone-pelting into government jobs, risking a resurgence of terrorism and extremism?
6. Anti-Reservation Stance: The alliance exposes Congress's anti-reservation stance. Does Congress support the JKNC's promise to end reservations for Dalits, Gujjars, Bakarwals, and Pahadi communities, thereby inflicting injustice upon them?
7. Renaming of Historic Sites: Does Congress want 'Shankaracharya Hill' to be renamed 'Takht-e-Suleiman' and 'Hari Hill' as 'Koh-e-Maran'?
8. Economic Corruption: Does Congress support pushing Jammu and Kashmir's economy back into corruption and handing it over to select families supported by Pakistan?
9. Discrimination Between Jammu and the Valley: Does Congress endorse the JKNC's politics of discrimination between Jammu and the Valley?
10. Autonomy to Kashmir: Do the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi support the JKNC's divisive politics of granting autonomy to Kashmir?

Earlier in the day, NC vice president Omar Abdullah announced that the seat-sharing arrangement with Congress had been finalized for the majority of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, with discussions ongoing for the remaining constituencies. The pre-poll alliance between NC and Congress was confirmed on Thursday, setting the stage for the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

The Election Commission of India announced on Friday that polling for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will take place in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4, marking the first election in the region since it was reorganized into two Union Territories in 2019.