New Delhi: Describing the situation in
Kashmir as "worrisome", BJP today said "competitive
communalism" practised by PDP and National Conference was
responsible for it and demanded an all-party meeting to
discuss the law and order problems in the state.
"The explosive situation in Kashmir valley, which has
been deteriorating day by day, has reached the level witnessed
during the Hazratbal controversy in 1963-64 when military had
to play a role. The tense situation is the result of the
politics of `competitive communalism` by both PDP and NC," BJP
spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
He alleged that the prime reason for failure to control
the situation in the state was that the Congress-led
government at the Centre had not taken any "timely action" and
was supporting PDP and NC.
Javadekar insisted that this had served as an
encouragement to the separatists and it was being "exploited
to the hilt by their bosses in Pakistan."
"We demand that the Government of India call an all-party
meeting to have discussions on the situation in Kashmir. It
must take all parties into confidence regarding its intentions
and plans to defuse the situation in the valley," he said.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader L K Advani described the
law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir as "worrisome"
but said the matter did not come up for discussion during his
meeting with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
"It is worrisome. At the same time it was not the
subject of discussions today," Advani told reporters when
asked about his opinion on the situation in Kashmir. He was
speaking after a meeting with Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee.
When asked if BJP would push for the army to be called
back, Advani avoided a direct comment, saying, "Whatever will
be fair, has been said by the party. I will not say anything
about it today."
Advani met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with a
BJP delegation.
The main opposition also demanded that the Jammu and
Kashmir government should "discontinue" the rehabilitation
package for surrendered stone-pelters in Kashmir.
"The separatists devised stone-pelting as an instrument
of organised and orchestrated protest which is a `low
cost-high impact` technique. Instead of acting tough, the
government declared a rehabilitation package for surrendered
stone-pelters. Government should discontinue this package,"
Javadekar said.
The Rajya Sabha MP claimed that many youths got jobs out
of this package and more than 200 shops were allotted for
them.
"This resulted in a new reinforcement of unemployed
youths in the stone-pelting brigade and the package became the
gateway for a job," Javadekar alleged.
The opposition has charged the government of booking CRPF
personnel for the death of a youth while letting go the young
men who were photographed beating up a security personnel.
"Ali Mohammad Sagar, a minister in Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah`s government has defamed and cast aspersions on CRPF,
which has demoralised the security force," he further claimed.
BJP has demanded that the UPA government should ensure
law and order at any cost in Jammu and Kashmir and keep a
tight vigil during the on-going Amarnath yatra.
"One of the goals of the separatists is to create tension
during the yatra period. Government must realise that people
in the valley want more and more pilgrims to come for the
yatra," Javadekar said.
Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai is understood to have told
the state government that no one involved in violence should
be spared and mischief-mongers should put behind bars.
The state government has been told to strictly enforce
curfew and restore law and order as soon as possible.
Army troops have been deployed mostly in three places
outsides Srinagar city and are engaged only in patrolling the
streets.
Sources said in the recent stone pelting incidents, more
than 500 people, mostly security personnel, were injured in
the valley.
PTI
