Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Indian soldiers' contributions to world peace in his monthly Mann Ki Baat address, he said senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks on autonomy in Kashmir were an insult to soldiers.

The former Union Minister's party was using the language used by separatists and in Pakistan, he said.

Chidambaram's response was that Modi hadn't read his comments fully, and that he was attacking a "ghost."

He said yesterday that he believes the government must consider areas in which to give the state of Jammu and Kashmir autonomy.

"The demand in Kashmir Valley is to respect in letter and spirit Article 370. And that means that they want greater autonomy. My interactions in Jammu and Kashmir led me to the conclusion that when they ask for azaadi (independence), most people -- I am not saying all -- (an) overwhelming majority want autonomy. Therefore, I think we should seriously examine that question and consider on what areas we can give autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir," he was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.