CONTROVERSY

BJP defends army chief's remarks on Kashmir stone-pelters

PTI2_17_2017_000190B Protesters throwing stones at police during a clash which erupted after some people were stopped from taking out a protest march against Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks | PTI

A day after Army Chief Bipin Rawat warned Kashmir stone-pelters against supporting the militants or hampering the work of security forces, the BJP came in his strong defence saying his views should not be politicised.

As the saffron party has been trying to hardsell its nationalistic image in the Uttar Pradesh elections raising issues like the surgical strikes, it feels that Rawat's words are in sync with government's policy against terrorists. 

Union minister Jitendra Singh, who hails from Jammu & Kashmir, said "It was appalling and a matter of concern and worry that the Congress was falling to this temptation of politicising the army chiefs statement... This party can go to any extent for political benefits. It is speaking the voice of separatists for lowly political gains." 

He asked Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to clarify his party's stance.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also attacked the Congress. “It’s my appeal to the Congress to keep the army and the army chief outside of politics. Our soldiers are dying and terrorists are infiltrating from Pakistan and it is unbecoming that such things are being said. The sooner the Congress realises it is not in power anymore, the better for the nation.” 

BJP leaders' statement came after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned the government initiatives in improving the situation in the valley.

“The government is to be blamed for the situation in Kashmir. Even we ran the government. Why was it not so bad then? To threaten the Kashmiri youth like this is unjustified. Last year 1,000 kids were affected by splinters and 1,200 kids lost their eyes,” Azad had said

NC spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu also dubbed Rawat’s statements as “tragic” and warned that such moves will only alienate the youth of Kashmir and “compound their hostility”.

Citing statements of Congress leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Sandeep Diskhit, Jitendra Singh said those were quite unbecoming of a national party.

Defending General Rawat, the union minister said, "What the army chief has said is not a warning but an expression of concern. He is worried that innocent people may be hit and become collateral damage (in anti-terrorist operations)," Singh said.

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