Amit Shah must tell the nation about situation in Kashmir, demands Sena

Shiv Sena on Monday sought a response from Union home minister Amit Shah over the situation in Kashmir that has witnessed a spate of terror attacks, killing 18 people in the last 11 days

Shiv Sena on Monday sought a response from Union home minister Amit Shah over the situation in Kashmir that has witnessed a spate of terror attacks, killing 18 people in the last 11 days. Sena, which had backed the Centre over revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370, said that the responsibility of the death of the people in the valley lies with the home ministry. It said talk on cancelling cricket matches between India and Pakistan was an attempt to divert attention

Shiv Sena on Monday sought a response from Union home minister Amit Shah over the situation in Kashmir that has witnessed a spate of terror attacks, killing 18 people in the last 11 days (PTI)

Sanjay Raut, chief spokesperson of the Sena, said the current developments in Kashmir are concerning as “terrorism has resurfaced there”. “Recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said despite removing Article 370 there was no change in the situation of Kashmir and this is the truth. Today, the terrorists are creating havoc by killing Sikhs, Kashmiri Pandits and Bihari labourers. The responsibility lies with the home ministry... The situation in Kashmir has gone out of hand... We must get to know what is the government doing [over the issue] and therefore, the home minister must tell the nation about the situation in Kashmir,” Raut said.

In an apparent response to Union minister Giriraj Singh, who said the India-Pakistan T20 match in Dubai should be reconsidered, Raut said it was a move to divert attention. Without naming PM Narendra Modi, the Sena leader mentioned an unscheduled stop to celebrate the birthday of the then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“I am speaking about the situation in Kashmir, you speak about that and not the India-Pakistan match to distract people. The issue in Jammu and Kashmir will not be resolved by playing or not playing a cricket match. Shiv Sena’s stand has always been that there shouldn’t be any ties with Pakistan — no cricket, no trade or no cultural ties. You only go there and cut cakes. Here people are dying, and you are speaking about a cricket match,” Raut said, referring to Modi’s stopover at Lahore in December 2015 to wish his counterpart on his birthday.

He further said merely using threatening language against Pakistan and saying surgical strikes will be conducted will not help. A tough stand must be taken by the prime minister, defence minister and home ministry, he said. “The decision on [relations with Pakistan] are made as per your convenience and political calculations, and innocent people in Kashmir are dying; this will not work.”

The Sena leader said it cannot be said that the situation in Kashmir had improved in the two years after the abrogation of the special status. “The news emanating from the valley was stopped as the internet was shut there, there were curbs on the media there, many leaders were not allowed to move around, some of the key leaders were under house arrest. Many incidents have not come out after Article 370 was removed.”

Pravin Darekar, leader of opposition in the legislative council, said, “You need not worry about the country’s security. The nations’ home minister Amit Bhai [Shah] is capable of tackling it. Instead of that, I request Raut saheb to look at the issues in Maharashtra, including the safety of women.”