Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 8: Terming the release of separatist leader Masrat Alam totally a disappointing decision taken by Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, BJP State president, Jugal Kishore Sharma today said that his Party, which is the coalition partner of PDP, was not consulted on this vital issue.
Talking to reporters after the meeting of BJP Ministers, Party legislators, and senior leaders here today to discuss the issue and situation that has arisen after the release of separatist leader, Jugal totally rejected the claims made by PDP spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar that it was a collective decision. “This is totally wrong as BJP was not consulted over the issue”, he added.
BJP president said that his Party has taken a serious view of the same as it was not a party to the decision. He said in today’s meeting it was decided that in future no such decision should be taken unilaterally and coalition partner be consulted on all issues.
Outrigtly rejecting that release of separatist leaders like Masrat Alam is the part of the CMP, Jugal said in future both parties have to take collective decisions and he expressed the hope that PDP will not backtrack from the CMP and forget the coalition dharma.
He said the Party will again review the decision after the Deputy Chief Minister, Nirmal Singh returns from Kashmir valley tomorrow. “The Party does not want that such things should happen in future as BJP wants that the Government should smoothly run for six years term”.
He said BJP’s agenda is welfare of the people and the Party is working for the development of the State for which the people have given mandate to it. The decision to release separatist leaders is not the part of its agenda, he added.
BJP spokesperson, Sunil Sethi who also spoke to media persons said that BJP has objections against the decision and Party will convey the same to Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. He made it clear that the release is not the part of CMP of the two parties also.
Earlier, BJP MLA from Nowshera and State president of Party’s youth wing Ravinder Raina strongly condemned the release of Masrat Alam and said that he was not a political prisoner but a militant who had gone to Pakistan for arms training in 1990 and was involved in attacks on security forces in Anantnag and Sopore towns of Kashmir valley.
Terming Masrat Alam a mastermind of 2010 stone pelting movement, Raina said that he torched the Indian Flag and hence he should have not been released.
He also demanded his immediate arrest. When asked that re-arrest of separatist leader will again stir a controversy and pose a threat to the Government, Raina said for the honour and prestige of the country such thousands of governments can be sacrificed.
Earlier, the meeting was among others attended by BJP State Prabhari and MP Avinash Rai Khanna, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Chander Prakash Ganga, Minister of Social Welfare and Forests, Bali Bhagat, MoS R&B and Revenue, Sunil Sharma , BJP organizational general secretary, Ashok Kaul and other senior leaders.
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