NEW DELHI Congress and JD(U) today sought to pick holes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio address, asking why the government has not been able to lift curfew in Kashmir yet if only 5 per cent of the people are involved in creating trouble.
“If PM believes that only 5 per cent of people are creating trouble then why central and state governments are not able to contain it? Why curfew for 51 days?” Congress leader Manish Tewari asked on Twitter.
He also asked Modi to hear “Mann ki Baat of Kashmiri people rather than one way monologue.”
Speaking on the unrest in the Valley in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said, “From the interactions I had with all parties on Kashmir, one thing emerged from those, which can be put in simple words as ‘Ekta’ and ‘Mamata’. These two things were the basic mantra.”
“Why normal life paralysed? Why internet services disrupted? PM must hear Mann Ki Baat of Kashmiri people rather than one way monologue!” Tewari said.
On the Kashmir issue, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the people of the country want lasting peace in Kashmir but the statement of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti does not prove so.
“The people in India want lasting peace in Kashmir. That peace will come from healing, re-initiating development process. That peace will come from bringing back those who have gone away from national mainstream,” Surjewala said.
“The peace will come with engagement with every section. If Modiji is doing it, I do not think so. Is Mehbooba Mufti wanting to do so, her statement does not prove so,” he said.
Janata Dal (United) leader K C Tyagi said, “Every political party supports PM, if any initiative is taken. He tried to normalise the relationship with Pakistan. Tell me the name of one political party that opposed him. He has not done anything…To ensure peace in Kashmir.”
Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Tewari said the difficulty is “when you do not diagnose a problem properly or able to find a prescription”.
“If the PM and Chief Minister of Kashmir believe that only 5 per cent of the the people are creating a problem, then it raises a question as to why the state government and the central government have been able to surmount the issue?” he asked.
“Why there has been curfew for 51 days? Why is it that the life is paralysed in Kashmir Valley? Why so many people have died and many more have been injured due to pellet guns? Why is that internet services have been scrapped by the state government?” he asked.
Tewari said the Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh do not understand the meaning of ‘Insaniyat, Jamhuriayt and Kashmiriyat’.
“So, therefore, the PM must realise the gravity of the problem that there are forces in Jammu and Kashmir who may be outside the electoral mainstream but they require an outreach if you need to bring the situation under control. PM and his Home Minister talk about ‘Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat’, (nut) do not know what these words mean,” he said.
So the Prime Minister needs to first diagnose the problem because in every statement you see contradiction and u-turns, Tewari added. (AGENCIES)
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