Deccan Chronicle

BJP won’t walk the beaten track

- (The author is member, BJP National Committee on Maha Prasikshan Abhiyan and member, Central committee on publicatio­ns)

Ever since the BJP-PDP government came to power in J& K, there has been a concerted effort by a section of the media and the entire spectrum of political parties, who call themselves secular, to torpedo the alliance. The present turmoil has to be seen in this context.

Within the PDP there was a section, not too keen on accepting the leadership of Ms Mehbooba Mufti after her father's demise. This segment tried to manipulate Ms Mehbooba, who often took a very aggressive stand on Kashmir, to lock horns with the Centre.

PM Narendra Modi has been very understand­ing and the BJP has been more than accommodat­ing to see that the experiment did not fail.

There were political difference­s, besides a basic ideologica­l dichotomy. But the common minimum programme was agreed upon on the developmen­t of the region, realizing aspiration­s of the people of J & K. If this alliance succeeds, it would see the state as a mainstream state on the top of Modi’s developmen­t agenda.

CM Mehbooba after meeting the prime minister on August 27 pleaded with her people to give her a chance. She identified Pakistan the agent provocateu­r.

She has a list of 400 persons, who instigate innocent youngsters to fight the army. This is a dangerous game the separatist­s are playing. The Centre has made it clear that within the framework of the Constituti­on it is open to talks with anybody.

But here is a fundamenta­l difference in the approach of the UPA and the NDA. Modi government is willing to accommodat­e and listen to all points of view but they will not be allowed to dictate terms. There won't be any compromise on territoria­l integrity. Some will say land is not important but the people are. As far as the BJP is concerned, the land, the people, its enlightene­d past and history

The Narendra Modi government is willing to accommodat­e and listen to all points of view but they will not be allowed to dictate terms. There won’t be any compromise on territoria­l integrity.

are the basis for any dialogue.

We have to understand that Jammu, Ladakh and a large part of Kashmir are free from trouble. Violence is confined to just four districts Baramulla, Sopore, Srinagar and Anantnag. It is the Wahabi, Sunni elements who are trying to create an Islamic state.

We have to isolate the stone-pelters. They are not freedom-fighters. Most of them are misled youths, pawns in the hands of separatist­s, who are working into the hands of Pakistan. Mr Modi has brought the new dimension of Baluchista­n, Giljit and PoK into the Kashmir cauldron.

This is a fundamenta­l departure from the past and India does not recognize Pakistan as a stakeholde­r for any solution on Kashmir. The priority is restoratio­n of law and order. Mr Modi has always said there cannot be talks when the guns boom.

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