Neither Rahul Gandhi nor his descendants will be able to restore Article 370: Amit Shah
Sangli, Nov 8: Neither Congress leader Rahul Gandhi nor his fourth generation will be be able to bring back Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Union minister Amit Shah said on Friday in a stinging attack on the opposition at a poll rally in Maharashtra's Sangli.
The J-K assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution seeking a dialogue between the Central government and elected representatives for restoration of Article 370 granting special status to the erstwhile state. The move was hailed by the valley-based political parties while it prompted protests by the main opposition BJP which demanded its rollback.
The provision was scrapped on August 5, 2019.
Addressing a rally in Sangli for Mahayuti (ruling alliance) candidates Sudhir Gadgil and Sanjay Kaka Patil, the Union Minister said the Congress was supporting the National Conference, the ruling party in J-K, in this endeavour.
"From the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I am telling you Rahul baba that neither you nor you fourth generation will be able to restore Article 370. Every child of the country is ready to fight for Kashmir," the senior BJP leader asserted.
"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the decision to abrogate Article 370, I brought the bill (in Parliament) but Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Mamta Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Stalin opposed the move. They said do not remove Article 370 as it would lead to bloodshed in the Valley. Forget rivers of blood, nobody dared to throw a stone," Shah said.
During the UPA government of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, terrorist attacks were frequent, but after Modi became PM, the incidents at Uri and Pulwama led to surgical strikes that wiped out terrorists in Pakistan, Shah told the gathering.
Modi's efforts led to the construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which was being stalled by the Congress for the past 70 years, he said.
"After Modi came to power, in five years, the court's judgement was delivered, the temple's foundation stone was laid, it was constructed and the consecration ceremony took place," he said.
Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for showing a copy of the Constitution at his rallies to attack the BJP, Shah said the Constitution is not an election agenda.
"The Constitution is about trust but these people (Congress) are seeking votes in the name of the Constitution and bluffing. Today, in one of the poll rallies, copies of the Constitution were distributed. The front cover was okay but the inside pages were blank. Not a single word was printed on them. Gandhi has insulted the Constitution, insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar and people of India," Shah said.
Gandhi should tell the people whether the copy of the Constitution that he held while taking oath as MP in Parliament was real or fake, Shah said.
"Gandhi recently said the country does not need reservations. But as long as the Modi government is in power, no one has the guts to touch the Constitution. Reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs will remain the way it always was," Shah asserted.
Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
