Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks on Kashmir have left the main Opposition party in a very precarious situation. It officially distanced itself from the comments, but has in the process upset its Jammu and Kashmir unit whose partner National Conference on Sunday resolved for Kashmir's greater autonomy.
Chidambaram however, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not read his comments properly and was "imagining a ghost and attacking it". "It is obvious the PM has not read the whole answer to the question put to me on Jammu and Kashmir. Those who criticise must read the whole answer and tell me which word in the answer was wrong," Chidambaram said.
The Congress on its part said the "opinion of an individual is not necessarily the opinion of the party". Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and "will always remain so unquestionably".
"The opinion of an individual is not necessarily the opinion of the Indian National Congress. In our democracy, individuals are entitled to their opinion," Surjewala said.
"The Congress has always believed that dialogue is the way forward for restoration of normalcy in the state, but it can only be within the framework of our Constitution," Surjewala added.
He said the party had constituted a policy-planning group under the chairmanship of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to carry forward the peace initiative in the state.
The group would be visiting Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the Kargil and Ladakh regions, between November 10 and 12. "Once the group concludes its deliberations, it will submit a report and share feedback and experience with Congress president Sonia Gandhi," he said.
However, the Congress spokesperson hit out at the Centre as well as the Jammu and Kashmir government, asking the ruling parties "to introspect" on the handling of the situation in the state.
Surjewala also asked the BJP government to list the steps it has taken to restore normalcy and peace in the state and its roadmap to ensure development there.
