The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday slammed senior Congress leader P Chidambaram over the latter’s remark on the Centre’s decision to remove Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Hitting out at the Rajya Sabha leader, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the move was taken keeping development in mind. “As far as Congress is concerned, in the last 70 years, they have always tried their best to find a Hindu-Muslim angle in everything. That is why in the Article 370 issue too, P Chidambaram is trying to find one. Ironically, Chidambaram should be reminded that the move to repeal Article 370 is all about development,” Patra was quoted as saying by ANI.
Chidambaram had on Sunday claimed that the BJP-led NDA government would not have removed Article 370 had Kashmir been a Hindu-dominated region. “If there was a Hindu majority in Kashmir, the BJP won’t have touched Article 370. Due to the Islamic majority, the BJP did it,” the former Union minister had said. Patra, while countering the Congress leader said, “To come out with a Hindu-Muslim angle is absolutely demeaning. They will try to create a conflict where none exists to drive some political benefits, be it Rahul Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Digvijaya Singh or others.”
The BJP leader also slammed Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for his statements against the government’s step to repeal Article 370. Singh had on Sunday said, “Look at the international media and what is happening in Kashmir. The government has burnt their hands in fire by abolishing Article 370, saving Kashmir is our primary focus. I appeal to Modi ji, Amit Shah ji and Ajit Doval ji to work thoughtfully otherwise Kashmir may slip out of our hands.”
Patra hit back saying that, “Digvijaya Singh has been giving statements which do not go well with nationalism and national integration. We earlier saw how he tried to divide the country as far as surgical strikes were concerned. He wanted proof for the same, he spoke ill against the airstrike and today he said Kashmir will not be a part of India. This is the frustration of Congress.”