(From left) Kavinder Gupta, who was Deputy CM in the coalition government, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, state BJP chief Ravinder Raina and Union Minister Jitendra Singh at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: Prem Nath Pandey)
WHILE TERMING the BJP’s reasons for pulling out of the coalition government as “baseless”, the PDP said it could “understand the political compulsions” of the party.
Announcing the decision in Delhi, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said it has become “untenable for the BJP to continue in this government”. He said terrorism, violence and radicalism had risen and the fundamental rights of citizens, including right to life and free speech, were in danger. He also claimed his party leaders were “facing a lot of difficulties from PDP in developmental works in Jammu and Ladakh”.
But senior PDP leader and former Public Works Minister Naeem Akhtar said: “It (that terrorism has increased) is not true. It is not because of PDP. It is because of a variety of reasons that go beyond government formation. Events in Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan have repercussions in Kashmir. That could have been more effectively addressed, if we had a common cause with Pakistan”.
On development of Jammu and Ladakh regions, Akhtar said: “Jammu has not seen this level of development. It has not seen such political participation. It was party to every decision,” he said. “This is what everybody said till yesterday — from the Prime Minister to every legislator of the party (BJP)”.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Omar Abdullah said the BJP was equally responsible for the situation in the state. “It is no secret that we have seen an increase in violence. They claim an increase in radicalisation; obviously they have access to information that I do not have but if this is their reason (for pulling out of the alliance), then they are as much as responsible as the PDP is,” Abdullah said.