Support to Balochistan may back fire, Congress warns Govt.

The Congress Party on Thursday downplayed the protests in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion on the atrocities committed in Balochistan and PoK and warned the ruling dispensation at the Centre to remain vigilant as this may back fire.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI that the protest by Baloch Republican Party (BRP) activists hold no significance as it is quite natural that if a person supports any local protest then his name will be used in that.

"If in Kashmir, we see their (Pakistani) flag or their Prime Minister's pictures and consider that as anti-national, it becomes a problematic situation for us too," he said.

Dikshit said it is an established fact that the Pakistani Army has been dominating Balochistan for many days.

"India has been directly or indirectly helping them and we should support humanity whenever the situation demands. But there is a fear that the grounds on which we are backing Balochistan and its struggle may back fire on us," he added.

Holding the Indian national flag and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pictures in their hands, the BRP activists yesterday vented their ire against Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri for declaring Brahamdagh Bugti a "traitor".

The protests have been going on for the last few days in Sui, Dera Bugti, Jafarabad and Nasirabad among other locations in Balochistan province.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 70th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi signalled a distinct hardening of posture against Pakistan by raising human rights violations in Balochistan and PoK.

He said that the people of PoK and Balochistan had thanked him for flagging human rights abuses by Pakistan's security forces.

Prime Minister Modi's comments were criticised as "crossing a red line" by the Pakistan Government, a charge rejected by New Delhi.