Shah's Article 370 speech diversionary tactic, says Maha Cong

Maharashtra Congress on Sunday termed BJP president Amit Shah's speech on abrogation of provisions of Jammu and Kashmir's Article 370 as a "diversionary tactic".

The party said Shah should go to J-K if he wished to talk about Article 370, as elections, scheduled for October 21, were for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

"It is a diversionary tactic. I would like to remind Shah that the election is of Maharashtra and not of Jammu and Kashmir. If he wishes to talk about Article 370, he should visit J-K for the same," state Congress' general secretary and chief spokesperson Sachin Sawant said in a statement.

Sawant took a swipe at the BJP saying Article 371 was in force in Maharashtra, and cited its provisions which accord priority to local residents in jobs.

"We should not forget that Maharashtra's debt has doubled in the five years of Devendra Fadnavis government. Farmer suicides have increased three-fold in these five years, compared to figures of earlier governments," Sawant claimed.

The Congress leader said small and medium industries were suffering, leading to unemployment.

Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJP was sharing power with Mehbooba Mufti in J-K for some years, and the party should explain why it had detained the PDP leader now.