Cong led UPA regime responsible for Kashmir mess: I&B Minister

New Delhi/May,24: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday held the previous Congress-led UPA regime at the Centre responsible for the Kashmir issue, claiming that the party’s wrong policies gave an advantage to extremists.
He said that more militants have been neutralised in the three-year rule of the Modi government as compared to the former regime and many development and welfare measures were taken to improve the situation but the Congress is misleading the people through a disinformation campaign against the Centre.
“Congress people have no right to criticise the government because it is the party responsible for the Kashmir issue due of its wrong policies and wrong approach towards militants,” he told reporters here.
“The groups of separatists and left wing extremists took advantage of these wrong policies of the Congress. Be it Maoist violence or Kashmir or separatists problem, all are the legacy of the Congress rule,” Naidu said.
“The security forces have responded to cross border terrorism firmly and as a result, 368 militants have been neutralised during the last three years (2014-16) as against 239 during the corresponding previous three years of 2011-13,” Naidu, the Union information and broadcast minister said.
He said that the prime minister announced a development package for Jammu and Kashmir in November 2015 which consists of 63 projects concerning 15 Union ministries having an outlay of Rs 80,068 crore.
“Other steps which were taken by the government included additional recruitment of 10,000 SPOs, recruitment of 5400 personnel in 5 new India Reserve Battalions and recruitment of around 1200 personnel of CAPFs and Assam Rifles,” he added.
On Left-wing extremism, Naidu said that reduction in the violence was registered in the Modi government’s rule.
“The violence over the last three years (May 2014 to April 2017) with preceding three years (May 2011-April 2014) indicates a significant improvement in the scenario,” he said.
He also said that incidents of violence reduced by 25 percent from 4,159 to 3,125, Left wing extremism related deaths decreased by 42 percent from 1,412 to 812, elimination of cadre increased by 65 percent from 237 to 390 and surrender by the cadres also increased by 185 percent from 1,029 to 2,937.