Union Minister for Textiles, Women and Child Development Smriti Ir on Saturday slammed members of the Gupkar alliance saying that they never gave the right to vote to refugees from Pakistan.
While addressing a public gathering in Ghagwal area of Samba district, Ir said, "The Gupkar gang has never given the right to vote to any refugees from Pakistan. But it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who realised that the people who chose to come to India leaving Pakistan should be given this right."
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said, "The Gupkar gang did not fight to secure the right of vote to you all but are only coming forward now when they need your votes."
"After years of struggle, the public here has got the chance to vote in local body elections to give a voice to their aspirations. I'm here to ask for your vote so that you can secure the future of your families," she said.
The mainstream parties, including the National Conference, PDP, Peoples Conference, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) formed the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in the month of October and are fighting the maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections together.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorgsation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the refugees from Pakistan got the opportunity to vote in local body elections this year.
( With inputs from ANI )
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