Mudda panellists feel that all parties together will have to deal with the enemy in Kashmir, even as BJP snaps ties with PDP
Why is Kashmir Valley on the boil again? BJP had said it will have zero tolerance against terrorists in the state, but ceasefire violations repeatedly along LoC have rendered BJP’s policies futile. APN’s popular debate Mudda took up the issue. Anchorperson Anant Tyagi posed the questions to panellists BJP’s Bhaskar Ghosh, defence expert PK Sehgal, Kashmiri Pandit’s Amit Raina, Congress’ Ajay Verma and APN Consultant Govind Pant Raju.
Sehgal said: “We have to end the politics of playing to the gallery. Stone-pelting has to stop. Stone-pelters are anti-national elements who are trying to stall army efforts. It’s not a good idea for stone-pelters to join the mainstream. Why should security forces be stalled in their work? The Supreme Court needs to give suo motu notice against stone-pelters.”
Raina said: “BJP’s policies have not helped at all in the Valley.”
Ghose said: “Ceasefire has been violated time and again. All political parties have to come together to solve the Kashmir issue. “
Raju said: “The centre has lost a good opportunity. There were a lot of hopes from the government, BJP being strong in centre and in the state. Pakistan is unleashing trouble in the state. But the government should have been able to foil Pakistan’s destabilising policies. The government ordered the ceasefire in view of to Ramzan. But the ceasefire was violated at LoC. And this has been happening repeatedly. “
Verma said: “Where is the so-called 56-inch ka seena? Amit Shah is in election mode now. He is not bothered about loss of lives of civilians or jawans. He is only bothered about polls now.”
Anant declared through a news break that there is a strong likelihood that the BJP-PDP could snap ties in Kashmir.
Verma said that it is unlikely, but since the common man knows that politics in Kashmir have failed, it could be an effort to save face.
Anant then announced that the BJP has broken alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP in Kashmir. The Mudda was abruptly stalled, as BJP’s Ram Madhav addressed a press conference on the issue.
Ghose said: “The pact has been snapped due to insaniyat and Kashmiriyat. BJP is one party that does not consider anyone bigger than national interest. Extension of ceasefire became a mudda, so we snapped the alliance.”
Verma said: “BJP can change colours like the chameleon. God knows what they will do in future. The ties have been snapped to grab the people’s interest and garner sympathy. This decision is not in the interests of Kashmir.”
Raju said: “This is a political decision. BJP had to neutralise the criticism it has been facing on the Kashmir issue. Ram Madhav at his press conference said that they were unable to do any development work in Kashmir and Ladakh. That’s a big failure, because after all the government was theirs. We need to see how Mehbooba reacts.”
Sehgal said: “The move was waiting to happen. There was a big question mark on honesty of purpose and intent.”
Raju said: “BJP can’t escape responsibility here; they can’t say the CM was not with them. When the alliance was set up, hopes were raised on major breakthroughs to happen. The timing of this move shows that BJP has acted to grab political mileage.”
Ghose said: “Stone-pelting issue had become a bone of contention. BJP tried its best to show a hard line on dealing with the antisocial elements, but faced resistance on this.”
—Compiled by Niti Singh Bhandari