BJP drags Nehru back into Kashmir crisis

Motihari, Mar 03: The BJP blamed former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the continuing crisis in Jammu and Kashmir and charged the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime for its "inadequate response" after the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

"(Vallabhbhai) Patel had been entrusted with integrating more than 500 princely states and he did that without creating any problems. Rulers of Hyderabad and Junagadh had tried to be defiant, but they fell in line and now we have no problems in these places," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.

"Compare that with what Nehru did in Jammu and Kashmir, which he handled on his own. Its ruler (Raja Hari Singh) acceded voluntarily. Yet, the region is plagued by problems after more than 70 years," Adityanath said.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was speaking at a function in Bihar's East Champaran district after laying the foundation stone for an agricultural training institute named after Patel, the country's first home minister.

The chief minister said things would be different under the "decisive leadership" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The seemingly impossible was made possible when Wing Commander Abhinandan (Varthaman) was let off by Pakistan without India having to make the smallest compromise."

"Earlier, the nation used to put up with the humiliation of terrorists harboured across the border striking here at will. Now, our forces punish them by carrying out surgical strikes," Adityanath said.

At a function in Jamui district, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal lauded Modi for giving a free hand to the armed forces after the Pulwama attack.

"Compare Modi's leadership with the weak-kneed response that the previous Congress-led UPA government had displayed when Mumbai was laid siege to for more than two days (in 2008) by a handful of terrorists from Pakistan, who killed more than 100 people, including some of our brave police officers," Goyal said.

The Union minister laid the foundation stone for a new rail line, besides flagging off a weekly Humsafar Express that will connect Patna to Bengaluru.