Cong wanted J-K to remain in turmoil for its vested interests: BJP

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for opposing the abrogation of the erstwhile state's special status and said his party along with "Kashmir-centric parties" wanted it to remain in turmoil for its vested interests.

It also accused the Congress of conspiring with "break-India" elements to stoke communal riots in the country over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and said "dissent is valid but not violence that too intended to divide the country".

The party was reacting to the statement of Azad, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accusing the BJP-led central government of being responsible for "death of expectations" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by removing Article 370 and downgrading the status of the erstwhile state.

"The Congress like the other Kashmir-centric parties wanted J and K to remain in turmoil so that they could continue to loot the state exchequer and the J and K Bank for personal benefits at the cost of ordinary citizens," BJP spokesperson Brig (retd) Anil Gupta said.

"The Congress was a party to the 'death of aspirations' of the people of Jammu and Ladakh and wanted the status quo to continue as part of its appeasement policy nation-wide," he added.

Talking at 'Agenda Aaj Tak', Azad brushed aside charges by the BJP that opposition parties are fuelling protests against the new law in the country and also said the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has "seen the death" of wishes of people of the state and now what would one expect from the people who are "dead" now.

Gupta said, "Despite its best efforts the Congress failed to set Assam on fire but is determined to stoke communal riots in the country as is evident from the Jamia episode in Delhi and communally sensitive states like UP, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal."