Ahead of tomorrow's all-party meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir, BJP today asserted that total peace should be restored in the Valley which is in the "grip" of rioters prior to any talks between the government and separatists.
"At present the Valley is in the grip of rioters. The BJP wants total peace in Jammu and Kashmir prior to any talks and is of the opinion that unless this happens any form of talks is useless", party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.
Against the backdrop of the sudden flare-ip in violence in Kashmir, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had yesterday put off any decision on contentious issues like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and called an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the volatile situation.
The CCS had reiterated government's intention to restart the process of dialogue with different sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Hussain said usually when the law and order situation deteriorates in any place, there is a demand for increasing security, but in Kashmir the situation is the opposite.
"J-K is in turmoil due to wrong policies of the state and the Centre and the need is to have more forces but the Congress is looking to reduce the number of security personnel", the BJP leader charged.
Maintaining that the BJP was against any dilution of the AFSPA, he said the views of the Army, para-military forces and Congress differ on the matter and "government should pay held to issues raised by the army."
Dubbing J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah as a "flop" and a "failure", he said Congress should not forget that they are coalition partners in the state with the National Conference as also heading the government at the Centre.
