Srinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) J&K unit on Thursday accused the top leaders of political parties who are under detention for fueling summer unrest of 2010 and 2016 stating that the decesion to release them will be taken “when system will feel all was well in the Valley.”
The party also announced its Nou Sanz—a new beginning initiative—to reach out to the people in all 133 blocks in J&K to get firsthand account of people’s grievances. The wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was first to break the news about BJP’s Nou Sanz initiative.
Addressing press conference in Srinagar, BJP’s General Secretary Organisation Ashok Koul said that not all but a few politicians are still under detention. “They are the same people whose activities fueled 2010 and 2016 summer unrest in Kashmir,” Koul said, without naming any political leader. At present three former Chief Ministers—Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are serving detention under Public Safety Act (PSA). A few more leaders of National Conference and PDP have also been slapped with PSA while as IAS topper turned politician Shah Faesal was also booked under same act.
“They (leaders) were at the helm when 2010 and 2016 unrest took place,” Koul said. Asked when would be these leaders released, he said if they would be released now and allowed to carry out their activities, there are fears that Kashmir may again witness unrest. “So, the system will take a call about their release at an appropriate time when it would feel that things were completely normal,” he said.
As per KNO, Koul said that the BJP has already welcomed the restoration of access to social media but urges the people and the students and youth not to misuse it.
To a query about whether BJP welcomes the launch of new party by the former PDP leader Syed Altaf Bukhari led team of politicians, he said that they welcome any political process. “We would have been more glad if they would have joined us. But they have their own thinking. We will provide them moral support,” he said.
Asked when the delimitation would take place, Koul said that things are in motion for setting up the delimitation commission. “One member of the commission has already been nominated by the Election Commission, other members will soon be announced. I believe, there would be first delimitation exercise for distribution of 90 seats as only seven seats have been added. Elections will follow the exercise,” the BJP leader said.
He also announced that on March 7, Prime Minister will address people of Pulwama district where Minister of State for Jan Aushadi Yojna will also be present. Koul said that BJP leaders will visit all the 133 blocks of J&K and take stock of peoples’ grievance and submit a report to the J&K Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu for immediate redressal of peoples’ woes and issues—(KNO)
