(Eds: clubs related stories)Bengaluru/Srinagar, Oct 29 (PTI) Congress leader PChidambaram's advocacy of greater autonomy for Jammu andKashmir prompted a fierce attack on the party by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, who today accused it of "shamelessly"lending its voice to calls for "Kashmir's azadi".
The National Conference, which ruled the restive statefor several decades and is now the main opposition, meanwhile,passed a resolution, vowing to continue its struggle forrestoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir in its "original,pristine form".
It also asked both India and Pakistan to initiate a"sustained and comprehensive" dialogue to resolve the Kashmirimbroglio.
"All of a sudden, those who were in power till yesterdayhave taken a U-turn. Shamelessly, they are making a statementand are lending their voice for Kashmir's azadi," Modi toldBJP workers in Bengaluru.
Chidambaram, a former Union home minister, had said inpoll-bound Gujarat's Rajkot yesterday that when people ofJammu and Kashmir ask for "azadi", most of them mean they wantgreater autonomy.
"The demand in the Kashmir Valley is to respect theletter and spirit of Article 370, that means they want greaterautonomy. My interactions in J&K led me to the conclusion thatwhen they ask for azadi, mostly, I am not saying all... theoverwhelming majority, they want autonomy.""Yes, I do," Chidambaram said when he was asked if hestill thinks that Jammu and Kashmir should be given greaterautonomy.
Without taking Chidambaram's name, the prime ministersaid, "I am surprised that those who were in power at theCentre, those who were responsible for the country's internalsecurity and national security (are saying this)."Modi said the country had no hope or expectations fromthe Congress.
Noting that Sardar Patel took important decisions for thecountry's unity, he said thousands of jawans have sacrificedtheir lives for Kashmir.
"The country's soldiers have sacrificed their lives everymoment for the sake of security of the motherland and innocentcitizens of Kashmir.
"I want to ask the people of Bengaluru, can the countrybenefit from such people who are playing politics on thesacrifice of our soldiers? They don't have any shame insaying this. The Congress party will have to give an answerfor this (Chidambaram's) statement," he said.
In his impassioned speech, Modi said, "Those braveheartswho have sacrificed their lives, mothers who have lost theirsons for the country...that mother is asking the question,that sister who has lost her brother is asking the question,and the child who has lost his father is asking the question."But, he said, the Congress was "shamelessly using suchlanguage as is used by the separatists in Kashmir. (They are)using the language that is spoken by Pakistan."Chidambaram had in July 2016 advocated greater autonomyfor Jammu and Kashmir, saying India should restore the "grandbargain" under which Kashmir had acceded by granting a largedegree of autonomy to it.
He had warned that otherwise the country will have to paya "heavy price".
The Congress, however, sought to distance itself fromthe remarks of Chidambaram on Kashmir, saying the "opinion ofan individual is not necessarily the opinion of the party".
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala hadsaid Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and "willalways remain so unquestionably."As the issue of greater autonomy for the state came aliveonce again, Farooq Abdullah's National Conference pledged tocontinue its struggle for its full restoration as enshrined inthe Constitution of India.
"We continue to strive for the restoration of autonomyand restoration of Article 370 to its original, pristine form,while condemning those divisive voices who are opposed to thesovereign constitutional guarantees extended to the people ofthe state," the resolution passed at a delegates' session ofthe National Conference in Srinagar said.
Calling for a political initiative, the party saidsingular focus on military and operational mechanism to dealwith the Kashmir issue was a "dangerous" approach andcontinued to alienate the people.
"We urge both India and Pakistan to initiate a sustained,sustainable and comprehensive dialogue process to resolve alloutstanding issues," it said.
NC president Farooq Abdullah and working president OmarAbdullah were present at the delegates' session held after agap of 15 years. Thousands of delegates from all three regionsof the state attended the conclave.
The resolution said the party always worked within theConstitution in which the state's special status wasenshrined.
It said the Kashmir issue should be resolved through asustained dialogue with both internal and externalstakeholders, an apparent reference to separatists andPakistan.
"The recently announced initiative through arepresentative of the Government of India should have clarityand seriousness of purpose to ensure the sanctity of theinstitution of dialogue is restored and upheld," the partyresolution said. PTI KSU SSB MIJ RA VS SMN SC SKSK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.