New Delhi, Aug 21: BJP today claimed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was the worst since independence with militants virtually practising “ethnic cleansing”, and warned the government that any thought of giving autonomy to Kashmir would amount to a “post-datedcheque” for freedom.
“The biggest example of failure of Indian secularism is Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave. Sikhs who go there are beaten up and their hair is cut... This is like ethnic cleansing as those who do not adhere to their (separatists) religion are forced to leave,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said speaking at a function held here as part of “Save Kashmir Day” being observed by BJP.
BJP warned the Centre not to tread the path of granting autonomy to Kashmir under pressure from “stone-throwers in the valley” who had caused a law and order situation in the state.
He alleged that the Prime Minister and the government are “weak” and cannot think of how to solve the Kashmir issue.
“Sometimes it is suggested that give it (Kashmir) autonomy.... To convert autonomy to freedom is only a stone-throw away,” Jaitley said.
“Granting autonomy to Kashmir would be a kind of post-dated cheque for freedom. We would like to tell the Centre that it does not have the mandate to divide the country,” Jaitley said.
Jaitley insisted the situation in Kashmir was the worst in the last 63 years and blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the erstwhile Congress governments for the same.
“Kashmir policy of India was a Nehruvian blunder... The money being spent today for our security in Kashmir would have been spent on farmers and in fighting hunger (had this blunder not taken place),” he said.
He alleged that while the Central government was weak, even the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir was clueless about how to fight the separatists and stone-pelters. “We told Farooq Abdullah to convince his son (Omar) to go to the people to heal their wounds. But Omar chose to visit a hospital just 12 km away in a helicopter to meet those injured in violence,” Jaitley said. 

Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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