Forming govt in J&K was BJP's 'biggest mistake', says Azad

Azad also said it was not appropriate for the locals to pelt stones at security personnel.

New Delhi, Apr 12: The Congress on Wednesday said forming a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP was the BJP's 'biggest mistake' as it 'reversed' the situation in the state to the 90s and led to the current violence there.

The Congress' stinging attack on the BJP comes in the backdrop of killings of eight civilians during the April 9 bypolls in the state. Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad also charged the BJP-led NDA government with not reaching out to stakeholders in the state to ensure peace there, unlike the previous UPA government.

"It (BJP) considers forming government there as its achievement. So that it can tell the world that it formed government there. But it is not an achievement, but their biggest mistake. Due to formation of PDP-BJP government there, the state's situation, which had improved, has reversed to where we began in 1990," Azad told reporters.

Recalling that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last year said that the process of holding political dialogue with all stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir will be initiated, the Congress leader noted no effort has been made in that direction.

"The central government has failed in winning confidence of people, taking along political parties and this is the reason why blood has flown in the bypolls," he said.

To a question, Azad said it was not appropriate for the locals to pelt stones at security personnel, particularly when they are combating militants to protect the civilians. Normalcy returned to Kashmir alley today after three days of separatist-sponsored strike against the death of eight civilians in the poll violence.

The Valley remained shut for three days after the separatists had called for a strike on the polling day on April 9 and later extended it for two days following the death of eight civilians in the election-related violence.

PTI