Shiv Sena slams BJP for re-starting 'election politics' in Kashmir

Mumbai: Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for pulling out of the alliance government with People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said people are tired of the BJP's "conspiracies", and that it needs lessons in speaking the truth.

The Shiv Sena also accused the BJP of "once again" starting "election politics" in the northern state.

It was the BJP's proposal to ally with the PDP in the first place, and it had done all the running around to ensure it comes to power in Kashmir, the Sena said.

"The BJP has pulled out its mask and started election politics in Kashmir once again. After enjoying three years in power, the BJP says the government was not working, it could not work with the PDP, terrorism had increased and development of Leh, Ladakh was being ignored," an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' read.

Once again an environment is being created in Jammu and Kashmir and a new mask is being put on. "People are tired of these conspiracies now. Somebody should start giving them lessons in speaking the truth," it stated.

BJP president Amit Shah conveniently distanced the party from the mess the Kashmir valley was put in, the Marathi daily stated, noting that the PDP was blamed for all the violence in the state.

"You enjoyed three years. However, when it was time to reap the fruits, you refused to take responsibility. It was the BJP's proposal to ally with the PDP for power and the subsequent running around was also done by the BJP," it said.

Along with the deputy chief minister's post in Jammu and Kashmir, several important portfolios related to development were held by the BJP, Shiv Sena pointed out.

If Leh, Ladakh were being ignored, why did the BJP not voice it while in power and why did the party not oppose the compensation given to the family of slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani from the state exchequer, Shiv Sena questioned.

"The BJP on its own will allied with a party that is soft on terrorists but when it saw problems for itself, it distanced itself. None of its prime agendas like Article 370 were touched upon in three years but it started speaking about it after pulling out (of the alliance government)," it said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has now dropped a "bombshell" by saying that peace measures in the Kashmir Valley were adopted on the advice of BJP leaders and that it would be wrong to state the government was soft on terrorism, the Sena said.

The three-year Jammu and Kashmir government collapsed last week with the BJP pulling out of its alliance with the PDP.