Party backs Tassaduq; NC ‘salutes his honesty’

Srinagar, Apr 13: The BJP on Friday asked the leaders of ruling parties to refrain from issuing statements that which could “deteriorate” the situation in the state.
The party was reacting to Tourism Minister Tassaduq Mufti’s statement given to national daily that: “PDP and BJP have ended up being partners in a crime (for which) an entire generation of Kashmiris might have to pay with their blood. Today the threat is that while we are in control, we are no longer trusted”.
BJP’s Chief Spokesperson, Sunil Sethi, while disagreeing with Tassduq, said the leaders in the coalition should not make controversial statements.
“We don’t agree with what Tassaduq has said. PDP and BJP are doing justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sethi told The Kashmir Monitor.
“Issues should not be dealt with emotionally. Ruling parties’ leaders shall not give statements that deteriorate the situation in the state. It is the duty of the PDP and BJP to control the situation. We are accountable to the people from all three regions.”
The PDP and BJP have come to be divided over the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua.
The BJP has been demanding transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of India, while it opposed the probe conducted by the Crime Branch of the state police.
However, following the outcry the brutality meted out to child has sparked within and outside India, the BJP seems to have softened its stand on the incident.
“Investigation has been done and matter has gone to the court. I request Jammu Bar Association and civil society members to not flare up the issue. If they think that there is anything wrong in the investigation, they should take the legal recourse instead of fighting on roads,” the BJP Spokesperson said.
On demand over sacking of two BJP ministers, who participated in pro-rapist Hindi Ekta Manch rally, he said, “Lal Singh and Chandra Prakash did not say anything against the victim. They only said that they would raise the demand for the transfer of the case to the CBI.”
Spokesperson of the PDP, Rafi Ahmad Mir, said that Tassaduq statement was in the “larger context of Kashmir issue”.
“Kashmir problem is 70 years old. But there are issues that the alliance partners could not fulfill the Agenda of Alliance. We could not implement it as situation was also not conducive. We too did not pursue the matter the way it should have been taken,” Mir said.
Senior PDP leader and Roads and Buildings Minister, Naeem Akhtar said, “This is an expression of pain and anguish. When the PDP aligned with the BJP, it was a historic decision to change the destiny of the state.”
“So far, nothing has happened for which we can feel proud. Tassaduq Mufti’ s interview has to be read in that context.”
Meanwhile, Opposition National Conference leader and former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said that Tassaduq, who is the brother of the Chief Minister, “was new in politics”.
“It has not been much time since he joined politics and has been minister for the last few months only. I salute his honesty what he said. There are only very few chances when a politician accepts the reality,” Abdullah said.