Jaipur, Nov 9 (IANS) Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Friday criticised the INDIA bloc and the Congress over its stance related to the talks surrounding the "restoration of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir".

Describing the Congress leaders as the ones who are dividing India and promoting separatist ideology, Rathore said that Rahul Gandhi and his party leaders have been continuously trying to divide India for the last several years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah foiled their efforts.

"No matter how much efforts the Congress and its alliance parties make to restore Article 370, PM Modi has cremated Article 370 and that Article is not going to be restored now," he said.

Rathore also said that Rahul Gandhi and his party leaders should clarify whether they are in favour of removing Article 370 or restoring it before the people of the country.

"The Congress wants to give a fragmented and divided India to our future generation. The Congress is ready to divide the country further in exchange for gaining power. The Congress' mentality of dividing the country has come to the fore with the failed attempt to bring back Article 370. The double character of their leaders has come to the fore," he said.

He further said this is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have tried to divide the country and even before, they have joined hands with forces that want to break India.

Rathore said that the Congress leaders should also clarify whether the Constitution of B.R. Ambedkar should not be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir? "Should there be two constitutions in one country? For the first time in Kashmir, Dalits, women, children and refugees got the right to vote, so does the Congress party want to snatch their right to vote?"

Rathore said that during the last 35 years in Jammu and Kashmir, due to Article 370, Kashmir Valley mostly experienced shutdowns.

"Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has abolished Article 370, Kashmir has not been closed even for even 8 hours. Peace, tranquility and tranquility prevailed in Kashmir. Separatism reduced by about 70 per cent. Tourism got a boost, voting rights were given, the number of tourists increased, but the INDIA bloc wants to snatch all this back," he said.