Cong pursuing minority appeasement policy: BJP

New Delhi, Aug 8 (UNI) Describing the ongoing struggle in Jammu and Kashmir as one between nationalist forces and separatists, the BJP today accused the Centre of pursuing the policy of minority appeasement for electoral gains in the coming assembly and Lok Sabha electrions.

Deputy Leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra in a statement decried the tendency to hold his party responsible for communalising the issue whereas it was the Congress and the PDP which should take the entire blame for the present imbroglio. In fact it was the PDP, which despite being a party to the decision to divert forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board for building temporary infrastructure for pilgrims, forced the government to revoke the order and pulled down the government, he alleged.

The agitation in Jammu to protest the cancellation of land allotment was spreading across all the communities and political lines as it had become a tussle between upholding the sanctity of the national flag and spilling violence in Kashmir valley, triggered by separatist and communal forces, Mr Malhotra said.

The Congress government, led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, had meekly surrendered to the anti-national protestors carrying out Pakistan plan. There could be no worse form of appeasement than this, he charged.

Asserting that It was high time the Centre took measures to end step-motherly treatment to the people of Jammu, Prof Malhotra said, ''The Congress should take initiative to impress upon the protestors in Kashmir that their Kashmiriyat would not suffer if they allowed 100 acres of land for erecting a few permanent structures for the visiting Hindu pilgrims.'' It could provide a healing touch to the hurt feelings of the people of Jammu, who felt that their region was being held hostage by the highly discriminatory Kashmir policy, he added.

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