Masarat Alam's arrest: Rajnath Singh congratulates J-K CM

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday congratulated Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for arresting separatist leader Masarat Alam for raising pro-Pakistani slogans and unfurling Pakistan's flag.

Singh said the Indian Government will not tolerate seditious acts.

"We will not spare anybody, who raises pro-Pakistani slogans on Indian soil. We will not pardon anybody, who threatens unity and sovereignty of the country. You all know that he was finally arrested. I want to congratulate the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for it. I told him and he acted on it," he said.

The Centre had earlier on Friday said it was keeping a close watch on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Central Government is keeping a close watch on the situation in JandK. The Union Home Ministry is keeping itself abreast with all the sequence of the events from time to time. They are also giving most valuable guidance to the state of JandK," Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh said on Friday.

"As far as BJP is concerned both at Centre and states, our stand has been very consistent as far as nationalism, patriotism is concerned. We follow a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, towards separatism...The coalition, which has come in Jammu and Kashmir is purely for the sake of governance," he added.

The Minister of State in PMO's remark came after the arrest of Alam, who was later on Friday evening sent to seven-day police custody.

The 45-year-old separatist leader was arrested in the case registered in the Budgam Police Station in connection with the provocative actions during the rally in Srinagar earlier on Wednesday.