India News | J-K People Voted for Development and Rejected Politics of Rhetoric: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said the people of Jammu & Kashmir have voted for development and rejected the politics of rhetoric that he claimed was intended to underplay the "unprecedented" development work and pro-poor schemes initiated by the Modi government.

Referring to the just-concluded District Development Council (DDC) election in the Union Territory, he said voters could see the development and welfare schemes reaching their doorstep and alleged that opponents, cynics and certain disgruntled elements tried their best to create a narrative that no progress had taken place.

“The voter has proved that he has come of age and can neither be hoodwinked by rhetoric nor by money or muscle power,” said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel.

He said there was a concerted effort by certain elements to create a myth that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be washed out in the Jammu region and it would make no headway in the Kashmir region.

“However, by proving the prophets of doom wrong, the common man and the common voter had demonstrated his ability to decide what is the best option for him and who is the best to represent him in the interest of his well-being and welfare,” Singh told PTI.

He said most of the critics and opponents failed to understand that the key voters are the third generation post-independence who are not amenable to be swayed by false slogans or aggressive rhetoric that lacks conviction.

As for the Kashmir valley, Singh said vote for BJP is a vote for being part of the development journey of mainstream India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said people, particularly the youth, have become weary of inconsequential terrorism and wish to make the best of the opportunities available in new India.

Singh said the BJP has established its pan-J&K character and its vote share of 24.82 % is far ahead of any other political party in the just concluded DDC polls.

He said the opposition parties are "unable to digest" the fact that BJP has made its presence across Jammu & Kashmir, in every region.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)