Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday attacked the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) over its demand for the restoration of Article 370 and said the provision prevented vital laws from their timely implementation in Jammu and Kashmir. If implemented earlier, these laws could have transformed the lives of many communities living in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP leader said. “The Article 370 prevented vital laws from being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir”, Thakur said while addressing election rallies in favour of BJP candidates for DDC elections from Basholi areas, Col Mahan Singh and Mahanpur Tajinder Singh Goldy. Thakur said he remembered the days when he was here in Jammu and Kashmir for many years it was always painful to witness two flags on the top of civil secretariat. The national flag, ”Tiranga”, was not getting due respect here, he alleged. Thakur was accompanied by former Rajya Sabha MP Kirpal Parmar, Himachal Pradesh Cabinet Minister Rakesh Pathania, Pahadi Zila Election Incharge Sanjay Baru, Gopal Mahajan Prabhari while he addressed election rallies at Mahanpur and Basohli. Thakur asked the people to be vigilant against “anti-national” forces who are hell bent to damage the interests of the nation. He said “divisive forces in the form of pseudo-political face of separatists have openly looted the resources of the nation and are not happy to see the J&K on the track of development”. Thakur also attacked the “Gupkar Gang” over the demand for the restoration of Article 370 and said the people have now began to get benefits of scrapping of the special status to the earstwhile state.
