NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh will not attend the book launch event of senior Congress leader
Saifuddin Soz's who was recently in the news for his controversial statement on Kashmir.
Though the Congress party has not given a reason for Singh's refusal to attend the event, the decision is being linked to Soz's Kashmir remark, according to a report on ANI.
A few days ago, Soz had ruffled feathers when he reportedly backed former Pakistan President General
Pervez Musharraf's remark on Kashmir.
In his book 'Kashmir: Glimpses of History and the Story of Struggle', Soz had stated that Musharraf's assessment of Kashmir "seems to be correct even today."
"Musharraf said Kashmiris don't want to merge with Pakistan, their first choice is independence. The statement was true then and remains true now also. I say the same but I know that it is not possible," he had said, in an interview to ANI.
Last Friday, BJP had criticized the former Union minister for his statement and advised the latter to move Pakistan.
Condemning the "irresponsible" statement by Soz, BJP leader
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said that one should not give any such remarks that boost the morale of separatists and terrorists in the Valley.
"Kashmir is itself a critical issue. The Separatists and the terrorists have hijacked the growth, development, and peace of Kashmir. We all must come together forward to defeat such powers. One should not give any such statements that will boost the morale of separatists and terrorists in the Valley," Naqvi said.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena also cornered Soz over the statement and demanded clarification from Congress president
Rahul Gandhi.
"Congress president needs to reply on Saifuddin Soz's statement and if Congress vouches for his statement. If he (Soz) has so much affection for Pakistan and Musharraf then he should consider migrating to Pakistan and become his servant," Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande had said.
