Azad's comments on Kashmiri Pandits' displacement to bail out culprits: BJP

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Friday targeted Democratic Progressive Azad party (DPAP) chairman Gulam Nabi Azad for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Kashmiri Pandits in his autobiography Azaad.

It said reasons identified by Azad as being responsible for the displacement of the minority community members from the Valley is to to bail out the real culprits.

"We condemn Azad for abusing and hurting the sentiments of Kashmiri Pandit community in his autobiography as reported by the media. We blame Azad for being equally responsible for the forced displacement of a religious minority of Kashmiri Hindus from the Kashmir Valley in 1989-90," BJP spokesperson and former legislator Girdhari Lal Raina told reporters here.

Blaming Azad for being one of the persons at helm responsible for the death and destruction in Jammu Kashmir, Raina said that his studied silence over gathering storm from 1980 onwards and infiltration and exfiltration of terrorists and unilateral attacks on the minority community in Kashmir is well known.

Azad was always at important decision-making positions of the Congress party and also in its government. He can in no way escape responsibility for happenings in Jammu Kashmir", he said.

Raina said that Azad's description of events leading to the displacement of the Hindu community is a ploy to shift blame for narrow electoral benefits.

"Azad was in Union government continuously from 1980-1989, the period that saw targeted isolation -- othering of religious minorities in Kashmir including violent communal attacks in Anantnag Kashmir in 1986 and also selective killings of minority community of Kashmiri Pandits in 1988-89 much before even elections to the 9th Lok Sabha were held," he added.

The targeted killing of Keshav Nath Mahant of Vicharnag Srinagar in December 9, 1988, Prabhawati of Chadoora Budgam, D N Raina of Drabyar Srinagar, Sheela Tikoo of Srinagar and Tika Lal Taploo, Neel Kanth Ganjoo in 1989 was much before the Congress Party was voted out in New Delhi, Raina said.

Azad was there when the Rajiv Gandhi-Farooq accord happened and when 70 terrorists were released in 1989 by the Farooq Abdullah government in J-K. How can he ignore the environment of terror and targeted stone pelting of minority community homes during Lok Sabha elections of 1989?" he said.

Reasons identified by Azad responsible for the displacement are to bail out real culprits and if he thinks this undermining of truth will endear him to voters of a particular section, he is grossly mistaken. Let Azad recall how he was rejected even as the chief minister," the former MLC him.

Blaming then governor Jagmohan is a sponsored conspiracy to destabilise India and sabotage Indian democracy, Raina said.

Raina asserted that the minority community was not targeted for being Congress supporters or because of supposed high positions in central offices.

The only reason for their besiegement was their nationalism and religious identity. The killing of a lift operator, staff nurse, laboratory assistant, driver, farmers, pujaris, mahants or housewives explains the objective explicitly," he said.

Panun Kashmir chairman Ajay Chrungoo also hit out at Azad for his comments on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits

"Azad is also a communal leader in the grab of secularism, he said.