“Italian Culture”: Amit Shah’s Dig At Congress Over Article 370 Remark

The BJP hit out at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday over his swipe at the ruling party for raising the issue of removal of Article 370 of the Constitution – which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir – in Rajasthan, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the opposition party’s “Italian culture” is to be blamed for it not understanding the very idea of India.

Mr Shah and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including its president JP Nadda, shared a short clip of Kharge’s speech on X, in which he is heard targeting the ruling party for talking about the removal of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, in Rajasthan.

“Arre bhai, yahan ke logon se kya wasta hai (what has it got to do with the people here)?” Mr Kharge is heard asking in the clip. The Congress chief also incorrectly referred to Article 371 instead of Article 370, which had granted special rights to Jammu and Kashmir and was annulled by the BJP-led Centre in August 2019.

Mr Shah said on X that it was “shameful” to hear what Mr Kharge said. He reminded the Congress that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that every state and citizen has a right over it just as the people of the Union territory have a right over the rest of the country.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, Mr Shah said the party does not know that many brave sons of Rajasthan have sacrificed their lives for peace and security in Kashmir.

“But it is not merely the fault of the Congress leaders. It is mostly the Italian culture of the Congress party that is to blame for not understanding the very idea of India. Such statements hurt every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation. People will certainly answer Congress,” he said in the post

It is shameful to hear that the Congress party is asking, “Kashmir se kya waasta hai?”

I would like to remind the Congress party that J&K is an integral part of India, and every state and citizen has the right over J&K, just as the people of J&K have the right over the rest of… pic.twitter.com/cFeO80XBxl

— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) April 6, 2024

“And for the kind information of the Congress, it was not Article 371, but Article 370, that was abrogated by the Modi government,” he added.

Continuing his attack, the home minister said it is only expected of the Congress that it would make such horrendous mistakes. “Such blunders made by it have haunted our nation for decades now,” he said.

Mr Nadda also seized on the issue to hit out at the Congress.

In a post on X, he said, “Another day, another gem from Congress! Kharge Ji displays the typical Congress mindset which wanted Jammu and Kashmir to remain disconnected from the rest of India. He doesn’t even know that the Article in question is Article 370 and not 371.”

Another day, another gem from Congress! Kharge Ji displays the typical Congress mindset which wanted Jammu and Kashmir to remain disconnected from the rest of India. He doesn’t even know that that Article in question is Article 370 and not 371!

Jammu and Kashmir will remain an… pic.twitter.com/JMy6zUFGpf

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JPNadda) April 6, 2024

Jammu and Kashmir will remain an integral part of India, the BJP chief said, adding that the removal of Article 370 is very much linked to national pride and the unity as well as integrity of India.

The Congress will never understand such emotions, he said.