Congress shrugs off Rajnath's 'permanent Kashmir solution' promise

Downplaying Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's 'permanent solution to Kashmir' remark, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday said there is little hope in this regard seeing the Government's inaction in the past three years.

Speaking to ANI here, Aiyar said he would like to ask a question to the nation which was posed to him by a Kashmiri.

"When I was in Kashmir a week back, a similar statement was made by Rajnath Singh. A Kashmiri asked me, what they (BJP) could not do in three years, how will they able to do it in a year? I don't know how are they going to do that but I am only asking the nation what that Kashmiri asked me," Aiyar told ANI.

Expressing strong skepticism to the current situation in the Valley and what the BJP has been doing since last three years, the Congress leader added that there seems to be no hope from the Centre of being able to find a permanent solution to Kashmir.

The Home Minister yesterday assured that a solution for the Kashmir unrest will be chalked out at any cost, while adding that all the impediments coming in between the better future of Kashmir will be removed.

"We will find a permanent solution to Kashmir. It might take some time because the problem which has been prevailing since 1947, the solution to it cannot be taken out with just a snap. We will remove all the impediments for a better future of Kashmir. The nature which has given talent in the hands of the people of Kashmir will be used for the development of the Valley and country. Nature has not given those hands to pelt stones," he said.

Rajnath also hinted towards the process of dialogue, saying the Government will talk to anybody who wants to initiate talks.

"The situation in Kashmir has seen a lot of improvement and we can assure that the government will get the situation under control. Despite having a large Muslim population, ISIS has been unable to establish a hold in India," Singh said when addressing the media in New Delhi.

Further lauding the Centre's governance, Singh further stated that under the Modi government, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir situation has improved a lot as 368 terrorists have been neutralized since 2014.

"After the surgical strikes by the Indian Army in September last year infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has come down 45 percent. I assure that we will bring an end to Pakistan sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and establish peace and tranquility in the state," Rajnath added.