Separatists have no say in Kashmiri Pandits' matter, says BJP

Defending the government's decision to create separate zones for Kashmiri Pandits in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that separatists have no say in the matter as they were responsible for the exodus of former in the first place.

"Kashmiri Pandits leaving the Kashmir Valley was because of the atrocities unleashed on them by the separatists and also because some state governments did not act on time. Certainly nobody is going to listen to separatist's voice. Whatever needs to be done for Kashmiri Pandits the Centre will consult with the Jammu and Kashmir government and take an appropriate decision in the interests of Kashmiri Pandits," said BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh.

Singh was reacting to Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik's statement in which he said that government's move to create a separate colony in the state for Kashmiri Pandits would only result in building walls of hatred, just like Israel.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has accepted the demand for creating separate zones for Kashmir Pandits in the state.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had assured Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that his government would immediately start the process for creating the zones.