Kashmiris unwilling to accept policies of BJP-PDP government: Congress

Congress Party member and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Friday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kashmir for failing to control the unrest in the valley.

He was responding to a poser regarding the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's second visit to the strife-torn valley triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen commander Burhan Wani.

"I think the BJP-PDP government policies are to be blamed for failing to control the unrest, that is if the state and central government are still finding solution even the after the 50th day of curfew. It seems that people of Kashmir are unwilling to accept the policies of the government," he told the media here.

"BJP needs to introspect and quickly resolve the problem," he added.

He also refuted Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's claim that five percent of the Kashmiri people are responsible for the unrest, saying the demonstrations held by the civilians were unprecedented since it was the first time that rural and urban people jointly protested against the government.

Azad also expressed concern over livelihoods lost due to the curfew.

"Lot of shops have been closed, schools have been closed, several livelihoods were destroyed by the curfew, so I am concerned about the well being of the civilians," he said.

The death toll in the Valley reached 67 with another youth succumbing to his injuries in the clashes that broke out between security forces and the locals in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Curfew remains imposed in several parts of the valley and internet and call services, except for BSNL, remain suspended.