Congress-BJP Spar Over Visit Of 36 NDA Ministers To Kashmir

New Delhi: Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad criticised the Union government over the proposed visit of 36 in the ministers visiting Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member, Kapil Sibal, wondered where the need for these ministers to visit the valley arose when everything was supposed to be normal as the Centre claimed.

Sibal also said that on the one hand, the Union Home Minister claims that there is normalcy in the Valley and yet on the other, it sends the Centre sends 36 ministers to Kashmir. This itself reveals its unease over the abrogation of Article 370, Sibal remarked.

Congress leader in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad also slammed the NDA government over its Kashmir policy. He said that the Centre was sending handpicked ministers and diplomats to the valley all of whom are tutored to speak out on the issue of normalcy in Kashmir.

The BJP on the other hand said that this is the first time that such a large group of ministers and party leaders were visiting the valley. It is unfortunate that the Congress instead of welcoming the development, is criticising the move, it remarked. The BJP claimed that the Congress was opposed to development in the Kashmir Valley. It slammed Congress over its negative attitude on the issue.

Thirty-six Union ministers would be visiting different districts of both divisions of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in a visit coordinated by the Home ministry.

The group of Central ministers would also visit sensitive parts of the Kashmir Valley. They will create wider awareness about the development activities initiated taken by the Centre.