‘Some people in Delhi try to teach me democracy’

Some people in Delhi "want to teach me lessons in democracy", Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday, hitting back at top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the latter, in his recent attack of the government and PM Modi, said there was "no democracy" in India and that those who stood up against the PM were labelled terrorists". 

"There are people in Delhi who always taunt and insult me. They want to teach me lessons in democracy. I want to show them Jammu and Kashmir DDC (District Development Council) polls as an example of democracy," Modi said after launching the Ayushman Bharat scheme for health insurance coverage to all residents of the union territory.

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Modi said getting free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees under this scheme would improve the ease of living of all 21 lakh families of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the recent local body election in Jammu and Kashmir "strengthened roots of democracy" and congratulated voters for exercising their franchise in the eight-phase election.

In the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) polls across 20 districts in Jammu and Kashmir, the Farooq Abdullah-led Gupkar alliance, along with the Congress, won in 13 districts. The BJP won in six districts in Jammu.

75 DETAINED AFTER J&K LOCAL polls

However, leaders and a police official of the former state said India's government detained at least 75 Kashmiri political leaders and activists after the polls.

The new detentions, including separatist leaders and members of the banned Jamat-e-Islami group, were for preventive custody, said a senior police official.

The detentions undermine the verdict of the people, said Imran Nabi Dar, spokesman for the National Conference.

The alliance's victory shows that Kashmiris have not accepted Modi's decision to end Kashmir's special status, said Omar Abdullah, a former chief minister and head of the National Conference.