PM Modi tore apart long-standing foreign policy of non-alignment: Gehlot on 'Howdy, Modi!' rally

Jaipur: Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said people all over the world were criticising Modi for "openly campaigning" for the ruling party there.

Speaking to reporters here, Gehlot also demanded that the prime minister address the nation about the prevailing condition in the Kashmir Valley.

Modi went against the country's long-standing policy of not interfering in elections of another country when he "openly campaigned" for one political party during his rally in the US, the chief minister told reporters here.

"Modi went to Houston and it happened for the first time in 70 years that a prime minister of our country openly campaigned there for a particular candidate, meaning his party. It must be condemned because the prime minister tore apart our foreign policy of being non-aligned which was founded by Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi," he said.

"This event is being talked about world over and people are criticising the Indian prime minister for campaigning for a political party there. It has a meaning. Suppose someone from the other party become the US president. How would his relation with our country be," Gehlot questioned.

Referring to the situation in Kashmir, Gehlot said, "People are confined in their homes there for 45 days and have no connection with the rest of the country. Is it not the duty of the prime minister to address the nation and tell us what is going on there?"

The prime minister addresses the nation on every matter, he does 'Mann ki Baat' but this is also a big issue which is being criticised all over the world, he said.

Reacting to Union minister Nitin Gadkari's statement that Kashmir was the victim of Jawahar Lal Nehru's wrong policies, the chief minister said a dangerous environment is being created in the country.

"Such politics in the name of religion never happened in history. The atmosphere today is very tense, people are afraid, what will happen to democracy," he asked.

Speaking on the probability of a nationwide implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Gehlot said NRC was facing criticism by the BJP's own workers and leaders in Assam.

"Their own people are criticising it in Assam," he said.

The chief minister exuded confidence that Congress candidates will comfortably win the bypolls in the two Assembly seats of Khinwsar and Mandawa which is scheduled to be held on October 21.