SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah on Monday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s remark about Congress’s manifesto that every page of the document reeks of attempts to “tear India apart” and said that the manifesto is to make the country strong and to keep it secular. “I don’t think the manifesto is to break the country. I think the manifesto is to make the country strong and to keep it secular. That is what it is. And if anybody thinks otherwise, then they are already dividing the nation in their own ways,” the National Conference told reporters. Speaking on Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) contesting the election, Abdullah said, “People know what we stand for. And beyond that, I don’t need to express anything.” PM Modi on Saturday launched an attack on Congress and said that the party’s manifesto is a “bundle of lies” and every page of the document reeks of attempts to “tear India apart.” Congress manifesto was released at the party headquarters by party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Friday. Addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Ajmer, the Prime Minister said that the manifesto reflects that the thinking of the Congress resembles those of the Muslim League during the pre-Independence period. “Yesterday the Congress Party released its manifesto, a bundle of lies. Every page of this smells of breaking India into pieces. The same thinking is reflected in the Congress manifesto as was present in the Muslim League at the time of independence. Congress wants to impose the views of the Muslim League of that time on India today,” PM Modi said. The Congress party’s election manifesto focuses on ‘Paanch Nyay’ or five pillars of justice, including ‘Yuva Nyay’, ‘Naari Nyay’, ‘Kisaan Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’ as well as the guarantees made by it to the people as part of its poll promises for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory will be held in the first five phases on April 19 (Udhampur), April 26 (Jammu), May 7 (Anantnag-Rajouri), May 13 (Srinagar) and May 20 (Baramulla). The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.
