Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his “azaadi” remark on Kashmir and accused the Congress of speaking in the language of separatists and elements in Pakistan.
“This is an insult to our brave soldiers,” Modi said at a public rally in Bengaluru. Linking Chidambaram’s statement to the Congress reaction after surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir last year, he said this clearly shows what the party feels about the Army.
“Why are Congress leaders lending their voice to those who want Azadi in Kashmir? Congress will have to answer for the recent statement of their leaders on Kashmir. The statement was unacceptable," Modi said.
Chidambaram had on Saturday said that when people of the Valley ask for “azaadi”, most of them mean they want greater autonomy. He asked the government to seriously consider granting greater autonomy to J&K as it is perfectly within the Constitution of India.
Without taking Chidambaram's name, the Prime Minister said, "I'm surprised that those who were in power at the Centre, those who were responsible for the country's internal security and national security (are saying this)." Modi said the country had no hope or expectations from the Congress.
Noting that Sardar Patel took important decisions for the country's unity, he said thousands of jawans had sacrificed their lives for Kashmir. "I want to ask the people of Bengaluru, can the country benefit from such people who are playing politics on the sacrifice of our soldiers? They don't have any shame in saying this. The Congress party will have to give an answer for this statement," he said.
The statement by Chidambaram has led to a political slugfest, with finance minister Arun Jaitley also accusing the Congress of “encouraging separatism” in the state. Blaming the “flawed policy” of the Congress for the turmoil in Kashmir, Jaitley said that instead of learning from past mistakes, the party wants to “precipitate a crisis for this country.”
The Congress, meanwhile, has sought to distance itself from the remarks saying that the “opinion of an individual is not necessarily the opinion of the party”.
The PM, who is on a one-day tour to Karnataka, also attacked the Congress over corruption in development funds. Without naming the party, he said it was the “hand” that reduced every rupee of government money to 15 paise before it reached beneficiaries.
“One of the Prime Ministers had said every rupee is reduced to 15 paise when it reaches a village after getting sanctioned from Delhi. Which 'hand' reduces the rupee?" he asked, in a sarcastic reference to Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress election symbol.
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