Union home minister Amit Shah waves at the crowd gathered for the Aastha rally in Jind in Haryana. (Photo cour... Read More

JIND: Virtually kick-starting BJP's poll campaign in Haryana two months before the assembly polls scheduled for October, BJP chief and home minister Amit Shah said on Friday the defanging of Article 370 was the real tribute to soldiers from the state who had died for the country.

Shah was in Jind on Friday to address BJP's "Astha rally", organised by Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister Birender Singh.

Speaking for the first time at a public rally after the revocation of Jammu & Kashmir's special status, Shah said Article 370 was a big hurdle in fulfilling former home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's dream of integrated India. He said that greed for power had kept successive Congress governments from taking this decision for 70 years while BJP removed that hurdle within 75 days of its second successive term at the Centre. He said it would prove to be a milestone in maintaining the country's unity and integrity.

"Scrapping of Article 370 is a historic decision. Such decisions are taken by those who have no greed for power and a clear vision. I am proud that my leader Narendra Modi has done this for the sake of the country's integrity," Shah said. He also said the "soul" of Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be blessing Modi today as there could be no better tribute than this on his first death anniversary.

