Congress denounces PM Modi's late response to Kashmir issue

The Congress Party, denouncing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on ongoing violence in the Kashmir valley following the encounter of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, questioned what took him so long to speak on the sensitive matter.

Priyanka Chaturvedi, national spokesperson for the Congress, questioned Prime Minister's silence on Kashmir valley where the curfew in some parts and restrictions is still in force.

"What took the Prime Minister so long to even speak on a subject which is so sensitive and where people are out in protest? Almost 60 civilians have died, army jawans have got injured. There are people coming out in protests every day, children are not going to school. Some children have lost their lives, lost their eye-sight. So what took the Prime Minister just so many days to take a decision on something like this?" Chaturvedi told ANI.

She added that if Prime Minister Modi talks about following Atal Bihari Vajpayee's principles then he should have taken more decisive action and must sooner than later.

Prime Minister Modi breaking his silence on Kashmir issue at a public rally after unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad at his birthplace in Madhya Pradesh

on Tuesday said a handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir and appealed to the youth to join him in fulfilling the dream of making the place the world's paradise.

He added, "The freedom that every Indian has also belongs to every Kashmiri. We want the same bright future for every youth in Kashmir. We are the people, who walk the path that Atal Bihari Vajpayee took when it comes to Kashmir."

Chaturvedi, however, said Prime Minister Modi uses other platforms to voice the Kashmir issue rather than discussing in the Parliament to avoid being refuted by others.