During an election rally in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to a recent statement made by senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde. Shah said that Shinde, who served as Home Minister during the UPA government, could now walk freely in Srinagar's Lal Chowk without fear, referencing Shinde's earlier comment about feeling scared to visit the area while in office.
Amit Shah remarked, "Shinde sahib, now come with your children and take a walk in Lal Chowk. No one will dare harm you." This comment was in response to Shinde's admission that during his tenure as Home Minister, despite public perception, he was apprehensive about moving around freely in the region, including in places like Lal Chowk and Dal Lake.
Shah credited the reduction in militancy in Jammu and Kashmir to the NDA government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which he suggested had transformed the security situation in the region. However, Congress and the National Conference, both of which are preparing for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, have opposed this move, calling it a betrayal of the people of the region and promising to restore the special status if elected.