Hold polls, stop running J-K from Delhi: Azad

Participating in the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the extension of President's Rule in the state and providing reservation benefits to the residents of International Border on the lines of those given to the residents of Actual Line of Control, Azad said the government's policies had not reduced the levels of violence in the border state.

"Stop running the government from Delhi. That will be the biggest confidence-building measure," said Azad, a former chief minister of the state. He said that howsoever intelligent advisors to the state Governor may be, they cannot replace elected representatives.

He asked the government reasons for the death of security personnel, civilians, army men and terror attacks such as that in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF personnel. "When there is zero tolerance, how come there are civilian deaths," he asked.

Azad said the BJP was in power in the state with PDP earlier and the state was under President's Rule now and asked what confidence-building measures had been taken.

He said the government took credit for conducting local body polls but was not holding assembly polls.

"When it comes to Assembly elections, the government is hesitant. You want to run the government without accountability," he said.

Azad said that elections were held in the state in the past despite a spurt in militancy. Supporting the move to extend quota benefits to IB residents, he said the percentage of reservation should be increased from three to six per cent.

Azad strongly defended the role country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in relation to the developments in the state after BJP leaders had accused him of mistakes during the debate on the bill in the Lok Sabha.

He said BJP can keep blaming Nehru but it was because of him that Kashmir is an integral part of India .