BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) senior leader ShahnawazHussain Saturday appealed the local militants to shun the path of violence.
“Those youth who took the path of militancy in Kashmir are our own people and citizens of the country,” a local news gathering agency KNS quoted Hussain as having said.
However, he said the foreign militants were being dealt as per the law of the land.
“Foreign militants are also being offered to surrender but after their refusal they are being taken to task,” Hussain said.
“I have brought Prime Minister NarendraModi’s pen to local youth and I appeal them to desist from taking up AK-47 as people of J&K are mostly peaceful,” he said. “A handful of people in the Valley are provoking youth and misinterpreting the message of Islam.”
About the allegation of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti of barring her from campaigning during the recently held District Development Council (DDC) polls, the BJP leader said, “Mehbooba did the drama to get media attention. I too deferred the programmes on that day due to security concerns but I didn’t create a fuss.”
About the delay in holding assembly polls, he said Home Minister Amit Shah had assured people of J&K that they would not be left unattended.
About the recently-concluded DDC polls, Hussain said that this was the first time that any election in Jammu and Kashmir was held in a peaceful manner.
“I congratulate the State Election Commissioner and local administration for conduct of incident-free elections across J&K,” he said.
“People voted in large numbers, they came out despite odds. It is a big-win of democracy,” Hussain said. “BJP will change the fate of every citizen of J&K.” He said Congress stood with the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
The BJP leader said that if farmers protest were not held, DDC polls would have been the prime debate in the national and international media.