Chidambaram asks PM to take steps to de-escalate tensions with Pak

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to de-escalate tensions with Pakistan and diffuse the crisis situation in the Kashmir Valley while trying to win hearts and minds of the people.

Speaking at the India Today conclave here, he said Modi and BJP leaders and ministers should not try to take credit for the act of the Indian Air Force, which the opposition and the country have lauded.

"Going forward, Mr Modi either by his inner counsel or by consulting the opposition parties, adopt a strategy that will diffuse tensions with Pakistan and bring some kind of reassurance to the people of the Kashmir valley. These are two separate objectives that have to be addressed," he said.

"Calm the people of the Kashmir valley and reassure them that their interests will be protected," he said.

The former Union minister said the Congress was among the first to congratulate the IAF for the air strikes and after that it and other parties behaved in an exemplary manner.

"We did not go out and hold rallies, public meeting and address party workers, and in fact we cancelled the CWC and other meetings scheduled yesterday.

"On the other hand, we have not only the prime minister, we have the party president, home minister and other ministers fanning out all over the country addressing purely political meetings, party workers and booth workers meetings and claiming credit for what the IAF did.

"The IAF does not belong to the BJP, the IAF belongs to the country. So if the IAF did a good job, the whole country is proud, why should one political party while appealing to all other parties to observe restraint, try to exploit to the situation and try to gain political advantage," he asked.

Chidambaram said when the prime minister is live on television channels, "I don't think it is right for the leader of a political party which is the ruling party, to claim credit for what the IAF did. That is politicisation."
The Congress leader said "only time will tell, whether it is a right move or not so right move."
"But I sincerely hope that this move will not push India into one direction, namely the solution to the K issue is through a war or a limited war."