BJP warns Congress to cease from playing politics over Kashmir

New Delhi, July 19 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday warned the Congress Party to cease from playing politics over Kashmir as the fight is between India and the separatists, which they should not try to give a "Hindu-Muslim twist". "Our government has got the Kashmir 'problem' in legacy, and the government honestly wants its solution for lasting peace and tranquillity. The way Kashmiri youth are being misguided and the way the Congress has been doing politics over it for the past 68 years, we will request to Ghulam Nabi Azad and the Congress not to play politics over Kashmir," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma told ANI. "In Kashmir, the fight is in between India and the separatists, and they should not try to make it a fight between Hindu and Muslim. We condemn Azad's statement in the Rajya Sabah, where he was trying to give it a Hindu-Muslim twist. The Congress must take a lesson from the past and stop doing politics over Kashmir. If anybody tries to play with the national security, our government will deal with him sternly," he added. Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad yesterday blamed the PDP-BJP coalition government as a contributing factor in the current situation in Kashmir. " BJP was a misfit and would take ages to create its space in the sensitive area," he added. When asked about Pakistan observing "Black Day" on July 20 "in protest against the killings of Kashmiris", Sharma said, "Pakistan should observe 'black day' as it is using barbaric forces in the occupied Kashmir to kill innocent people and for the situation it has created in Baluchistan." He suggested Pakistan to take a lesson from the past and stay within her limits, while warning that if it looked at Jammu and Kashmir with ulterior motive, Pakistan would have to face serious consequences. "Pakistan should concentrate on its internal problems like poverty, unemployment and nexus between terrorist and the military. And, if Pakistan tries to look at Kashmir and India with some ulterior motive, India will respond suitably," he added. After asking its citizen to observe 'Black Day' on July 19, the Pakistan Government realised that July 19 is observed as 'Accession to Pakistan Day" purportedly by Kashmiris, and announced to observe 'Black Day' on July 20. Reacting to Karnataka minister K.J. George's resignation after a court ordered registration of a case against him and other accused in connection with the suicide of Mangaluru Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapathi in Coorg recently, Sharma said, "It is the height of insensitivity. Rahul Gandhi had visited (Hyderabad) twice for Rohith Vemula, but he did not go to Kerala where a Dalit was raped. And, in Karnataka, one of his ministers forced an officer to commit suicide, but he did not issue even a statement. "His decision to resign came after tremendous pressure. We demand registration of an FIR against him and handing over the case to the CBI," he added. (ANI)