Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar challenged the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress to clarify their stand on National Conference's promise in its poll manifesto to reintroduce separate flag for Kashmir and reinstate Article 370.
"Assuring a separate flag for Kashmir when the entire country is united under the Tricolor flag seems to be the 'Tukde Tukde' gang at work again," he alleged.
"Ek Desh Mein Do Vidhan, Do Nishan, Do Pradhan Nahi Chalenge," he said, citing that the BJP had always taken the stand for one constitution, one prime minister, and one flag.
"Then is the stand of the BJP since Jan Sangh. The Congress leadership and Uddhav Thackeray should clarify whether they agree with this assurance of the NC," Shelar added.
He further mentioned that the NC has taken what he called an "anti-national stance" only to gain votes for the upcoming Assembly elections. He pointed out that Articles 370 and 35A, which provided for the state's previous status, do find a place in NC's manifesto to be reimposed. He asked whether Congress and Uddhav Thackeray support this position.
He also referred to NC's assurance of renaming major landmarks in Kashmir, including renaming Shankaracharya Hill as Takht-e-Sulaiman and Hari Parbat as Koh-e-Maran. He asked Uddhav Thackeray, who had just played host to a Shankaracharya, to explain his stand on these renaming proposals.
He further pointed out that reconsideration of reservation policies is there in the NC manifesto, which, post Article 370 abrogation, has benefited communities like the Dalits, Gujjars, and Bakarwals. Shelar asked Congress and Uddhav Thackeray to clarify their stand on the matter, saying the people of Maharashtra would like to know if they are actually supporting what he called the "Tukde-Tukde gang" agenda.
