NEW DELHI: The BJP leader Ram Madhav on Saturday claimed that the separatists in the Kashmir valley have only one motto -- one dead body a day – to play sentimental politics. He charged that the separatists use people in the valley as “Guinea pigs in their reprehensible politics of violence and separatism”.
Madhav, who is the BJP’s point-person for Jammu and Kashmir, maintained that “forces have very few pellet guns and use them in rare situations only”. “Even where used they are deemed less lethal than normal guns and bullets. Even there the forces are trained to maintain maximum restraint and use other methods to control violence,” he said in a reaction to the Supreme Court’s dismissal of a PIL against the use of pellet guns.
He stated that “the government's stand is and should be clear”. “Tackle militants and their sponsors with utmost toughness. Handle misguided youths coming onto the streets with stones in hand with deftness so that violence is firmly put down but care is taken to prevent loss of life.
The security forces and the government on the other hand try their best to ensure that the ill-intentions of the separatists don't succeed,” said Madhav, while adding that “it is a difficult job being executed with commendable sincerity by the government and security forces”.
Referring to the Central government’s submission to the Supreme Court on Friday that there is no plan to hold any talks with the separatists and those who are not loyal to India, the BJP leader expressed satisfaction that the apex court took “a strong stand against the petitioners' demand that pellet guns be withdrawn, while exhorting them to first stop stone pelting and street violence before asking security forces to withdraw pellet guns”. “Stand of the SC judges including CJI is commendable and I am sure patriotic people in the country, including those in the valley welcome this position of the Court,” added Madhav.