Beijing: BJP President Nitin Gadkari, who
is on a five-day visit to China, on Monday condemned the Centre`s
attempt to stop his party`s Ekta Yatra as "repressive" and
warned that such an approach would lead to increase in
terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Under the UPA regime, secessionists are enjoying
royal treatment while nationalist and integrationists are
being assailed simply because they have plans to unfurl the
national flag at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar," he said.
Gadkari, who is visiting Guangzhou today, also spoke
by phone to Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Anurag
Thakur who it leading the Yatra, and enquired about the
obstacles being raised by the Centre and state government in
the onward march to Jammu and Kashmir.
"Now that the government has sent out a horrifyingly
wrong signal to the secessionists by refusing the yatra to
move ahead, BJP is afraid that this will further boost the
anti-nationalist`s morale," said Gadkari.
Gadkari warned that the "repressive" step to stop his
party`s Yatra would lead to increase in terrorism in Jammu and
Kashmir.
"The government has always played to the gallery on
this issue and if this trend continues; terrorism may raise
its ugly head once again," he said.
Gadkari had flagged off the Yatra from Kolkata on
January 12, which is now about to enter Jammu on way to
Srinagar.
The government has stepped up security with the BJP
not showing any sign of going back on its plan to hoist the
national flag at Lal Chowk on Wednesday.
Nearly 5,000 security personnel have been deployed at
the border of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, which has been
sealed, to prevent activists of the party`s youth wing from
entering the state.
Gadkari said the secessionist elements in the Valley
will be the happiest lot on January 26, while those who want
to hoist flag in their own motherland will be put behind the
bars.
The BJP chief said his party had always taken a
non-confrontationist approach on the issue of integration of
Jammu and Kashmir.
"BJP will not compromise at all and this Tiranga yatra
was aimed at just that," Gadkari underlined.
Gadkari, who visited Shanghai yesterday, is
accompanied by party leaders, Thawarchand Gehlot, Vijay Goel,
Saudan Singh, Arti Mehra, Laxman Kova and political associate
Vinay Sahastrabuddhe on his China trip.
PTI
