Cong, NCP supporting those who want to separate J-K from India, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that the Congress and NCP were in support of those who were advocating for the separation of Jammu and Kashmir from India.

"Congress and NCP are supporting those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the country. I do not expect anything better from the Congress, as they are the ones who are responsible for giving birth to such separatist ideologies," he said while addressing a rally here.

"But what I don't understand is what happened to Sharad Pawar. You were the one who left the Congress in the name of the country. Now there are talks of two Prime Ministers for India, how long will you remain quiet?" he asked while taking a jibe at the NCP chief.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi claimed that Congress and NCP did not introduce robust security measures to improve the safety of people while in power.

"Today, on the one hand, the Congress and NCP have given you hollow promises and on the other hand, the NDA has fulfilled all the promises. During the Congress-NCP government, bomb blasts took place across Mumbai. In the last five years, no blast has taken place in Maharashtra," the Prime Minister noted.

He also appealed to first-time voters to dedicate their votes to those who sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of India.

"I want to ask first-time voters whether they accept the previous government's weak stance on terrorism. Only if our country remains safe, our countrymen's future will be secure. In the last five years, a strong, decision-making government, a public partner, has been seen in India. Prior to that, there were reports of scams and scandals. Today the world is seeing India as a superpower," the Prime Minister added.

Polling in Maharashtra for the 48 seats at stake will be held in four phases. While the first phase saw 7 seats going to polls on April 11, voting will be held on April 18, 23 and 29 for the remaining seats.