Srinagar, Sep 14: Aiming to get a foothold in the Valley, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), in a major shift in its traditional stance, Friday said that it will vociferously raise, in the upcoming legislature session, the issue of massive development deficit in Kashmir province. The party also said that it is strongly against any kind of human rights abuses and minced no words in slamming the state government for the detention of 12-year old Faizan Sofi saying “curse on those who detained him.”
Addressing a news conference at the party headquarters here today, senior state BJP leader and member of Legislative Assembly, Ashok Khajuria said the party has never opposed development of Kashmir but “we have always raised our voice against the politicians of Kashmir who exploit the Valleyites for votes and then indulge in sellout of their interests for remaining clinched to power and amassing wealth.”
“We talk about discrimination of Jammu, but we are not against the interests of Kashmiris,” he said, adding that BJP stands for uniform development of all the three regions of the State.
The remarks of the BJP leader reflect a complete shift in the party’s stance as it has been most of the times accusing successive regimes of the state of favoring Kashmir and discriminating with other regions particularly Jammu.

DEMANDS IMPLEMENTATION OF 73RD AND 74TH AMENDMENT
Blaming Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for mass resignation of Panchayat representatives, the BJP leader demanded implementation of 73rd and 74th amendment of constitution of India for empowering Panchayats.
“We would raise the issue of empowerment (of Panchayats) on the floor of House in the upcoming session,” he said.
The BJP leader also smelled rat in government‘s decision over holding municipal elections in December.
“They want to derive mileage as people stay indoors during this month due to enveloping of the Valley by snow,” Khajuria said, adding that holding of Municipal elections is a futile exercise till empowerment of Sarpanchs and Panchs is ensured.
“There is no merit in holding elections till Panchayat representatives are armed with powers at par with their colleagues in other parts of the country.”
Lashing out at the state government for what he termed failing to ensure security of Sarpanchs and Panchs, Khajuria, who represents Jammu East assembly segment in the state legislature, said: “The low-rung PDP and NC cadres are being protected by five Personal Security Officers (PSOs), but the nationalists who have put their lives at stake don’t get even minimum basic security.”

CASTIGATES MAINSTREAM PARTIES
The BJP leader, however, was unsparing in criticizing mainstream parties and was more harsh on mainstream than the separatist leadership during his half an hour press conference.
“The political troika of Kashmir - Abdullah’s, Mufti’s and Soz’s - are filling their coffers as the money coming for the development of Kashmir finds way  into their pockets,” he said.
The BJP leader did not stop here in castigating the mainstream political families of Kashmir.
“They are doing politics on dead bodies and they are responsible for pushing youth towards the wall. Despite magnanimous funding by the Centre, the benefits are not percolating down to the youth, leaving them disillusioned,” he said.
The BJP leader claimed Kashmir issue is an administrative and unemployment problem and solution to both would lead to the return of normalcy.
Replying to a query about the human rights abuses taking place in Kashmir, the BJP leader said, “We oppose and condemn every sort of rights abuse and the killing of innocents.”
“We curse those who did it,” he said, while replying to a query about his views on the arrest of 12- year old Faizan Sofi.

DISEMPOWERMENT OF SIC
Khajuria said disempowerment of State Information Commission (SIC) is matter of concern for all of us and the party will not refrain from raising the issue in State Assembly.
“This Government is hell bent upon undermining the constitutional authorities   like SIC and State Accountability Commission, but we will not let them to do so. They have rendered SIC toothless as number of scams came to fore through RTI revelations,” he said.

NO CHANGE IN STAND ARTICLE 370
While saying that there would be no compromise on party’s position on Article 370, the BJP leader maintained that Kashmir is an integral party of India.
The BJP leader also said that party doesn’t want repetition of 2008 Amaranth agitation that created gulf between Muslims and Hindus.
“The hands of Azad and Mufti were behind the agitation,” he said.
When asked about the controversy over construction of the road to Amarnath, the BJP leader evaded the direct answer.
But on being further persisted over the query, he said; “We will toe the line of Shri Amaranth Shrine Board over the issue.”
Khajuria also condemned the blasphemous video saying that party stands by the Muslims in this hour.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 15 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST