Kashmir based parties smell rat Blame Narendar Modi for crisis KISHTWAR CLASHES Srinagar, Aug 14: With Kishtwar in limelight after deadly clashes that erupted on the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the regional political parties of JK smell a deep-rooted conspiracy by the right-wing leadership in New Delhi over flaring up of the situation which seems to be aimed at making Jammu “testing laboratory” as done in 1947. The parties believe that Kishtwar violence is not just linked with the clashes between the two communities but it is moreover linked with the vote-bank politics, the brainchild of Narendar Modi, the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 elections. Talking to Greater Kashmir, senior NC leader and MP, Dr Mehboob Beg the BJP seems to be following a deadly mission in JK. “I am not only surprised but astonished by the interest shown by BJP leader Arun Jaitely and even by their Prime Ministerial candidate, Modi. This is not something we have to forget. BJP is playing a dangerous game in JK,” he said. Dr Beg said Modi’s ‘hate’ speech wherein he termed Kishtwar clashes as “ethnic cleansing” has left entire NC camp fuming. “Who would clean whom? As far as my estimates are concerned, out of 3728 Village Defence Committee (VDC) members in Kishtwar, 3128 belong to majority community. This should be an eye-opener for Modi and Jaitley,” he said. “Why didn’t Jaitley speak a word when militants killed eight soldiers in Srinagar? I think, BJP has made up its mind to make Jammu a laboratory to fish in the troubled waters.” The NC leader believes that even if BJP won’t get anything out of beating the ‘communal drums’ by sitting in New Delhi, they would certainly make a difference in cutting the vote banks of regional parties in north India. “I am looking at Kishtwar tension through this angle that BJP wants a major share from the Chenab cake by playing the politics of deceit,” he said. For the main opposition PDP, whatever is happening in Kishtwar was not a good sign for the State on the whole. “The NC has failed on all fronts, especially on the administration front while dealing with Kishtwar situation. A person against whom there was an FIR in 2008 for misusing his weapon continues to roam free despite the fact that he was (reportedly) found involved this time around too,” said PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akther. He said definitely, some kind of vote-bank politics is going on over Kishtwar violence. “At the same time, State’s image is being tarnished in New Delhi due to communal politics played by the BJP,” he said. He said NC has lost whatever it had in Chenab valley. “Congress became popular by default not because they had done something extraordinary. Most of the Congress ministers are facing one or the other charge. Congress has an edge due to (Union Health Minister) Ghulam Nabi Azad’s footing and popularity in Doda-Bhaderwah,” Akther said. He said the Kishtwar incident has provided a “life-line” for BJP to cash-in on the situation fully. “BJP has its national ambitions. They want to keep the pot boiling in Kishtwar to test waters. Probably, Modi wants to make Jammu region once again a pro-Hindutva laboratory as they (RSS) had done in 1947,” said Akther. “In 1947, BJP was yet to take birth, but RSS, was active across India including Jammu region,” he added. State Congress chief, Prof Saifudin Soz admitted that BJP is trying to sneak in to Jammu through Chenab. “BJP must be looking for the options. But it is for the people of State to give them a befitting reply. Our primary concern is to bring normalcy back to Kishtwar. Once normalcy returns, only then we would devise anti-BJP strategy as there is no place for communal politics in JK,” Soz said. Congress Chief Spokesman for JK, Ravinder Sharma since JK government has ordered an inquiry, “We are keeping our fingers crossed.”
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 18:04:42 +0000