Congress, NC, PDP triggering panic in J&K, people not afraid: BJP

The BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit on Saturday (August 3) accused leaders of the NC, PDP and the Congress of deliberately trying to trigger panic among people as they themselves were frightened, and asserted that the common man has no fear.

The party’s state unit president, Ravinder Raina said every common citizen of the country is safe under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is “applying balm on the wounds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.

Condemning the government’s decision to curtail the Amarnath Yatra, the Congress on Saturday (August 3) said that the entire country is worried and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a statement in Parliament on the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

A delegation of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, J&K People’s Movement chief Shah Faesal and Peoples Conference leaders Sajjad Lone and Imran Reza Ansari met the Governor on Friday night as speculations grew in Kashmir Valley about some possible major decisions regarding the state’s special status.

Raina, however, asserted that Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution, that give special status to the state, were the main cause for separatism and terrorism.

“These provisos are also discriminatory against women and under the garb of these articles, blood of ordinary citizens was suck, Jammu and Kashmir Bank and central funds were looted by a few dynasties,” Raina claimed.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress office in New Delhi, senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Amarnath Yatra has never been curtailed, even when the pilgrimage was targeted by terrorists.

“The Prime Minister should make statements in both houses of Parliament on the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s his duty,” Azad said.

Also Read: Guv assured us no move to repeal Art 35-A, 370; want statement in Parliament: Omar

He also said that the government should clarify why additional paramilitary forces were sent to the state though it has been a lean year in terms of terrorist activities, barring the Pulwama attack.

Speaking at the same conference, senior party leader Karan Singh said everybody is in a state of shock after the government’s advisory curtailing the Amarnath Yatra and asking the pilgrims and tourists to leave the state. An atmosphere of fear and apprehension has gripped the state, he said.

Also Read: Kashmir on edge as parties, people brace for “existential threat”