india

Updated: Aug 09, 2019 01:09 IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to launch a nationwide outreach programme to celebrate fulfilling its promise of nullifying Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that gave special status to the Valley, and to explain the logic behind the decision to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories, according to senior functionaries aware of the developments.

The decisions were approved by Parliament with an overwhelming majority. They were endorsed by several Opposition parties, and even by some leaders from parties that opposed the decisions.

The ruling BJP is now keen to take its message directly the people through a set of structured events from the state down to the local body and mandal levels.

“There is an occasion to explain these decisions to people,” said a national office-bearer of the BJP who asked not to be named. “We are working on a nationwide campaign and its exact details are being worked out.”

In a letter sent to its state units by the BJP that was accessed by HT, the party gave them a four-point plan to celebrate the Kashmir decision.

All BJP-ruled states have been told a pass a resolution felicitating Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Union government for effectively revoking Article 370. The party has asked a copy of the resolution to be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and the BJP headquarters.

All BJP-ruled local bodies have been asked to pass a similar resolution and send a copy to the party headquarters.

The letter asks for the organisation of “enthusiastic programmes” in all Mandals to “elaborately discuss” how Modi, Shah and the central government fulfilled the dream of Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The party further said in the letter that press conferences will be organised in all district headquarters over the next few days to explain the reason behind repealing of Article 370.

“The entire nation is in a jubilant mood after this historic decision,” BJP general secretary Arun Singh said in the letter. The firm determination, firmness and courage of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has led to this historic and seemingly impossible task, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address to the nation on Thursday to explain the reasons behind the government’s move.

Shah met BJP spokespeople at the party headquarters on Thursdayand told them that the complete integration of the region with the rest of India will open doors for the local residents and usher in a new era of development in the region that has struggled with cross-border terrorism, said a leader aware of the matter.

Nullifying Article 370 is a milestone in the BJP’s ideological journey and the party sees no reason in being on the back foot, a second BJP office-bearer said. “This is a promise we have made in every poll manifesto. We will surely take credit for it in front of people,” he added.

A third BJP leader said the government’s Kashmir policy reflected its commitment to the idea of “nation first” and the party’s public outreach programme on Article 370 will aim to create awareness about “nationalism”.

“The support from parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Biju Janta Dal explains the kind of response that idea of nationalism generates on the ground,” the third leader said. “As part of the entire outreach exercise, the BJP will also align itself with the public mood.”