PM Narendra Modi blasts Congress on autonomy remark by P Chidambaram

Narendra Modi accuses party of 'shamelessly' lending its voice to calls for 'Kashmir's azaadi'

Congress leader P Chidambaram's advocacy of greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir prompted a fierce attack on the party by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who yesterday accused it of "shamelessly" lending its voice to calls for "Kashmir's azadi".

The National Conference, which ruled the restive state for several decades and is now the main opposition, meanwhile, passed a resolution, vowing to continue its struggle for restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir in its "original, pristine form".

It also asked both India and Pakistan to initiate a "sustained and comprehensive" dialogue to resolve the Kashmir imbroglio. "All of a sudden, those who were in power till yesterday have taken a U-turn. Shamelessly, they are making a statement and are lending their voice for Kashmir's azaadi," Modi told BJP workers in Bengaluru.

Chidambaram said
Chidambaram, a former Union home minister, had said in poll-bound Rajkot on Saturday that when people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for "azaadi", most of them mean they want greater autonomy. "The demand in the Kashmir Valley is to respect the letter and spirit of Article 370, that means they want greater autonomy. My interactions in J&K led me to the conclusion that when they ask for azaadi, mostly, I am not saying all... the overwhelming majority, they want autonomy," he said. "Yes, I do," Chidambaram said when he was asked if he still thinks that Jammu and Kashmir should be given greater autonomy.

PM speak
Without taking Chidambaram's name, the PM said, "I am surprised that those who were in power at the Centre, those who were responsible for the country's internal security and national security (are saying this)."

Modi said the country had no hope or expectations from the Congress. Noting that Sardar Patel took important decisions for the country's unity, he said thousands of jawans have sacrificed their lives for Kashmir. "I want to ask the people of Bengaluru, can the country benefit from such people who are playing politics on the sacrifice of our soldiers? They don't have any shame in saying this. The Congress party will have to give an answer for this (Chidambaram's) statement," he said.

Modi said, "Those bravehearts who have sacrificed their lives, mothers who have lost their sons for the country...that mother is asking the question, that sister who has lost her brother is asking the question, and the child who has lost his father is asking the question."

But, he said, the Congress was "shamelessly using such language as is used by the separatists in Kashmir. (They are) using the language that is spoken by Pakistan." The Congress sought to distance itself from Chidambaram's remarks, saying the "opinion of an individual is not necessarily the opinion of the party".

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