Arun Jaitley questions Congress understanding of Kashmir

Jaitley, who was in Shimla on Sunday to release the BJP’s vision document for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh elections, accused the Congress of contradictions.

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Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

CONTINUING HIS criticism of the Congress over former Home Minister P Chidambaram’s remarks on autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday asked the party to spell out what kind of “azaadi or greater autonomy” Chidambaram is asking for which the state government, or the state’s Constitution, does not already possess.

Stating that such remarks from a former Union Home Minister puts a “big question mark” on the Congress, Jaitley said the fact that the main opposition party is raking up the “azaadi and autonomy” issue in 2017 raises “vital questions” on the party’s understanding of Kashmir, which is a target of Pakistan’s “unfinished” agenda.

Read | Arun Jaitley slams Chidambaram on ‘azadi’ remark, questions Congress’ understanding of ‘Kashmir issue’

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Jaitley, who was in Shimla on Sunday to release the BJP’s vision document for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh elections, accused the Congress of contradictions. He asked the opposition party whether by autonomy it means the pre-1953 status, and whether the state should have a Prime Minister instead of a Chief Minister, and a Sadar-i-Riyasat, and not a government. He also asked whether the Congress means that in a state situation, the Supreme Court and the Election Commission should not cover Jammu and Kashmir.

He maintained that the state Assembly and the state government have all the necessary powers under the Constitution, and the only issues not covered by the state are defence, communication, foreign affairs and currency.

Read | BJP dubs Chidambaram’s stance on Kashmir as opportunistic and contradictory

Jaitley also said that since 1947 Kashmir has been a part of Pakistan’s unfinished post-Independence agenda. He said, “They (Pakistan) have been sending terrorists and (have) also inflicted some wars,” the senior BJP leader said. “The Congress, by its posturing in 2017, wants to mislead the country — it is deceiving itself and it is encouraging separatism in J&K. It is hurting India’s national interest, and this is a very serious issue,” he said.

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