'Kashmir problem outcome of Congress' acts of omission and commission'

Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday said Kashmir problem was the outcome of Congress' acts of omission and commission.

Singh's comment came after Chidambaram, earlier in the day, said when people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for 'azadi' they seek greater autonomy.

Talking to ANI, Jitendra Singh slammed Chidambaram for his statement and said that the Congress was responsible for the Kashmir problem.

"Out of 70 years of India's independence, its Mr Chidambaram's party- the Congress- has been at the helm of affairs for almost 50 years at the Centre as well as Jammu and Kashmir. In fact, what we face today in Jammu and Kashmir is an accumulative outcome of the acts of omission and commission committed by the successive Congress governments, which began way back right at the dawn of independence with what is now recalled as the infamous 'Nehruvian blunders'," Jitendra Singh said.

He further added that "the nation doesn't allow a former home minister belonging to the Congress party to deliver sermons on his own (party's) acts of omission and commission".

While speaking at an interactive session at Rajkot, Chidambaram said, "The demand in Kashmir is to respect in letter and spirit the Article 370 and that means they want greater autonomy. My interactions in Jammu and Kashmir led me to the conclusion that when they ask for Azadi, overwhelming majority wants autonomy."

Article 370 of the Indian constitution is an article that gives autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chidambaram also said the Centre should find out the areas in Jammu and Kashmir where autonomy can be given.

The former finance minister's statement comes close to the heel of appointment of former Intelligence Bureau director Dineshwar Sharma as interlocutor for J-K by the Modi government.