BJP keeps principles aside to capture power, says Congress

New Delhi, March 15: Congress on Sunday slammed BJP over its alliance with PDP and SAD and asked the ruling party to "clear its stand" on Kashmiri separatist Masrat Alam's controversial remarks and SGPC's contentious commemoration of death anniversaries of Indira Gandhi's assassins.

The party said there was a limit to "political opportunism" and responsibility in a coalition cannot be attributed to a single party only. "Many questions have been raised, which are directly linked to the nation's integrity and unity. BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clear their stand on these issues.

"They cannot say that these are the responsibilities only of their allies PDP and Akali Dal in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab (respectively). The principle is of collective responsibility in a coalition government. Responsibility in coalition cannot be attributed to a single party," party spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters at AICC briefing here.

Detailing the events, which drew the concern of Congress, Sharma said,"first credit was given to Pakistan and separatists for peaceful polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Then separatist Masrat Alam was released. Alam now calls Kashmir a territory occupied by India.

"SGPC's 'Nanakshahi' calendar features anniversaries of assassins of Indira Gandhi and former Army chief Arun Vaidya as historical days. They also plan to celebrate the anniversaries of Indira Gandhi's assassins Kehar Singh, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh as well as the assassins of General Vaidya."

These days figure in the 'Nanakshahi' calendar of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for years. Reports had it that this year these controversial celebrations seem set to be held in Delhi also on the lines of what used to happen in Amritsar earlier. The party was guarded in its response on the 'Nanakshahi' calendar issue and focused its attack primarily on BJP's alliance, saying "BJP keeps aside principles to capture power."

At the same time he said,"We do not want to say anything on Sikh leadership and management of the Gurudwara Committee." Holding that BJP is in coalition with Akali Dal both in Punjab and at the Centre and hence it cannot attribute responsibility to just one party.

The Congress leader also took strong objection to Masrat Alam's reported remarks that he had come up with a programme against the "occupation" of India in Kashmir.

PTI