AGENCIES
New Delhi, Aug 11: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley, who was today detained at the Jammu Airport on his way to riot-hit Kishtwar, held the Omar Abdullah Government responsible for the communal riots that rocked several places in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three days.
Jaitley also blamed the authorities for hiding the ground realities that led to the violence. "Shops belonging to a particular community were burnt, their vehicles were burnt, dozens of people were injured, some people have died also, houses have been looted and this violence has now spread to towns like Rajouri," said Jaitley. "The BJP wanted its delegation to go there so that the confidence of the victims could be built up and also to find out the factual situation. Now, there is a complete censorship and the national media is not allowed there," he added. Terming Jaitley's detention as grossly unfair and undemocratic, the BJP earlier in the day criticized the Omar Abdullah Government, and alleged that it appears as if the ruling National Conference has a lot to hide.
"The detention of Arun Jaitley is grossly unfair and undemocratic. Apart from being the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, he is a senior national leader, commands a respect, integrity. His visit would have only calmed down the temper there. He would have ensured that at least people do not suffer, but to detain him at the airport itself shows the government has a lot to hide," said BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
"A lot of questions are being raised about the local MLA of National Conference who is also Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kichloo as to how he provoked the entire situation. After all, we all want there should be calm, there should be communal amity and palpably it is evident that the government of Farooq Addullah has not taken adequate measures as were required to be taken," he added.
Prasad further said he would expect that the army is allowed to ensure that there is no flare up further and things remain quiet. "But yes, the way Arun Jaitley was detained we condemn it outright, unwarranted, undemocratic and wholly unreasonable," he added. |
