Politics after protests as Kashmir hunts for killers
AMARNATH ATTACK Pressure on CM Mehbooba; Rahul hits out, Centre defends
political blame game broke out on Wednesday over this week’s militant attack on Amarnath pilgrims, even as government forces launched a hunt for Pakistani national Abu Ismail, the alleged mastermind of the deadly assault.
Using the hashtag AmarnathTerrorAttack, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi unleashed a series of strongly worded tweets that accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pursuing policies that had “created space for terrorists in Kashmir”. He also attacked the BJP’s ruling alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party in Kashmir, saying the association forged for “short term political gain” has cost India massively.
“Modi’s personal gain = India’s strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood,” one of his tweets said, referring to Monday’s attack in which seven pilgrims were shot dead and 15 injured when a bus carrying them back from Amarnath was attacked by militants.
In response, BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi asked Gandhi to read his family history, saying they were responsible for the problems in Kashmir.
Pressure over the attack has grown on state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who has struggled to control an upsurge in street protests as well as militant violence since last July when security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani.
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