Slap sedition charges on politicians issuing anti-national statements in JK: Sharma

BJP leader Sham Lal Sharma Sunday appealed the to the Centre and the administration to slap sedition charges on leaders issuing "anti-national" statements for political gains in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sharma, who recently resigned from the Congress and joined the saffron party, hailed the UN's move to declare Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) founder Azhar Masood a global terrorist, saying the decision was the result of diplomatic efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We appeal to the Centre and state administration that those leaders, who are making anti-national statements every now and then, should be booked under the sedition law so that they desist from such remarks," the former minister said.

He was addressing his first monthly meeting with workers at Akhnoor here.

Sharma accused the National Conference, the Congress and the PDP of being in the "habit of backing anti-Indian forces" and said such statements were gainst the unity and the integrity of the country and amounts to sedition.

"If the Kashmir-based leaders are making anti-India statements, they should face the sedition law," he said, and cautioned them against making "anti-national statements for political gains".

The BJP leader lambasted Congress over its promise to review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in militancy-hit valley, saying such things would only embolden terrorists.