The alliance of the PDP and the BJP in J&K is fraying at the edges. That is understandable as it is from the beginning an alliance of irreconcilable elements. Statements of some leaders in the state expose the rift. The political space of the state is getting increasingly divided. BJP’s Chander Prakash Ganga, J&K minister for industries has called some stone throwing young people in the state downright traitors who should be shot. On the other hand, the video of an army vehicle with a Kashmiri citizen, Farooq Dar tied to its hood had sparked indignation among the local people. The J&K police have filed an FIR against the unidentified army personnel who did it. The army has also set up a court of enquiry. Tassaduq Mufti, PDP candidate for a bypoll who is Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s brother has said that the PDP’s view of the situation in J&K is totally misunderstood. Steps should be taken to assuage the anger of the Kashmiri youth some of whom pelted stones. The BJP is the junior partner of the state government but it is at the helm at the Centre. Subramanian Swamy should not cause resentment by making such an outrageous statement as the need for dispatching Kashmiri people to refugee camps.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has introduced some sanity in the situation by saying that all state governments should protect Kashmiris across the state. The state is now convulsed by violence and any provocative stand by the authorities will aggravate the crisis. The voter turnout in the recent Srinagar bypoll was only seven percent. At 38 polling booths repolling has been ordered because of violence. All this proves that BJP leaders in and out of the state should refrain from making irresponsible comments which deepen divisiveness in the sensitive region.