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| Azad to BJP: Go slow on return of KPs to Valley | | |
Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, June 23: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today asked the Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre to go slow on the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
Talking to media persons after the party meeting here, Azad said that the plan to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits should be based on sincerity and honesty and no politics whatsoever should be attached with this exercise. He warned BJP led Government against announcing any package for the Kashmiri Pandits merely for vote bank politics and without consulting the state Government.
"The central Government should come over here and talk with the elected state Government first before taking any decision with regard to the return of Kashmiri Pandits. All the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir are sensitive and they should not give such statements merely for vote bank," said Azad.
The Congress leader was reacting to the Centre's plans of announcing a package for the return of Kashmir Pandits and also about New Delhi's plan to construct three satellite cities for Kashmiri Pandits for their permanent return.
Azad said that bringing back Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley was not an easy task. He said the Congress led Government too had made efforts in this regard and no mainstream or non-mainstream had ever objected to their return. He said that he had no expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi vis-a-vis resolution of Kashmir issue.
"I have got no expectations from the BJP led Government. I have been hearing about Article 370 for ages. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the tallest BJP leader and nothing changed even during his time. It is being used only for vote bank for Assembly elections," said Azad.
The Congress leader claimed that the recent Lok Sabha results would not have any bearing on the coming Assembly elections. He described his recent meeting with PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as a 'social one' and asserted that they had not discussed the issue of pre-poll alliance.
On chances of any alliance, he said the same would be decided by the party high command after consultations with all local leaders. "That is why (AICC general secretary) Ambika Soni is holding one to one meeting (with the local leaders). We don't know what they will tell her," he added. |
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