BJP condemns demand for separate currency for J

New Delhi, Jan 7 (UNI) Outrightly rejecting the demand by Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra for a separate currency for the state as "fraught with a separate insinuation" the BJP today demanded the Minister be sacked immediately.

"In the garb of autonomy, the statement spews separatism," the party said, saying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi must clarify to the nation on the statement as the state had a Congress-led coalition government.

Talking to newspersons, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said such a demand by a senior minister did not absolve the Congress and the failure to sack the Minister by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad "so far amply proves this point." He said the demand itself was a challenge to the country's sovereignty, saying the "deafening silence maintained by the top brass leadership of the Congress party in general and the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi in particular, on the issue which has major ramification on the country's sovereignty is appalling." He alleged the Manmohan Singh Government was keeping mum on the bizarre and divisive statement "with an eye on the impending elections in the state.'' The party said while on one side states and nations were working towards integration and adopting common currency as witnessed in the European Union, "here is a state of the Federal India which is asking for a separate currency." The party said it had already categorically stated that "two Constitutions, two flags and two PMs" theory was totally unacceptable to it and it was demonstrated by the sacrifice of Dr Syama Prasad Mukerjee, founder president of BJP (erstwhile Janasangh) by opposing the permit system.

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