Time now to review Articles 370, 35A: Rajnath

Jaipur, April 22 (IANS) Terming the Constitution's Articles 270 and 35A "temporary provisions", Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that time has now come to review them to evaluate how much benefit they brought to Jammu and Kashmir.

At a press conference here, he said: "Some people are saying that Jammu and Kashmir should have a separate Prime Minister.... then what is the justification for Article 370?"

On the Congress' manifesto promise about ending the sedition law, he said that his BJP has a clear view that this act should be made stronger. He, however, added that caution needs to be taken to ensure the law is not being misused.

Attacking the opposition, he said that they have now jointly started saying that there is malfunctioning in EVMs. "This proves their desperation as the trends are going in BJP's favour. NDA shall form the government with complete majority," he said.

Rajnath Singh claimed that the opposition lacks proper issues and therefore, Congress and others are raising issues which should not be politicised. 

"Congress should praise the armed forces. But instead, it has started raising questions (on the Balakot strike). With questions such as how successful the air strikes were and how many people were killed in it, India's representation against terrorism gets weakened," he claimed.

Blaming Congress for "creating the theory of Hindutva terrorism", Rajnath Singh said that this also weakens India's stand against terrorism.

Calling on the Congress government in the state to fulfil the promises made to the people, he said that the schemes of the previous BJP government and the welfare schemes of the Central government should also be properly implemented in the state.