BJP assails PM's assurance to PDP on Troop Reduction

New Delhi, July 24 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today strongly condemned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his party's proposal for troop reduction in the state.

Talking to newspersons, BJP spokespersons Ravi Shanker Prasad and Prakash Javadekar regretted the PM's letter to the PDP leader in which he agreed with their proposal to reduce troops in Kashmir.

Refering to the increasing terrorist violence in neighbouring Pakistan and stepped up activities of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Prasad deplored the Prime Minister's assurance on troop reduction in the present scenario. He reminded that even the security forces had opined against any reduction in the present deployment.

"National security should not be held hostage for the compulsion of a coalition government," he said, warning against any compromise with the country's security needs.

Prime Minister Singh ''approving' the PDP demand for troop reduction, has come at a time when there is tention in Pakistan which would definitely affect the situation in Jammu and Kashmir also, Mr Prasad added.

UNI