Jammu, Feb 18 (UNI) In a scathing attack on Kashmir “mainstream” leaders, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that these leaders are scared of mentioning separatist Hurriyat Conference even indirectly, but always ready to criticise nationalist BJP on every available platform.
On the sidelines of a function on PM-KISAN Yojana at Reasi, while speaking to media persons, Dr Singh said, it is an interesting paradox that National Conference (NC), PDP and Kashmir-based Congress leaders lose no opportunity to denounce BJP, whether they are issuing a press statement or giving a TV byte or participating in a TV discussion, but the same leaders do not utter a single word of condemnation or criticism against Hurriyat leaders who have proven cases of Hawala transactions, instigation of terrorism and anti-India activities.
“There can be no greater betrayal of lack of courage and conviction on the part of these so-called mainstream Kashmir leaders than the fact that they choose BJP as a soft target for political attack but are always kind or apologetic while referring to Hurriyat leaders who have NIA cases and other high level investigations going on against them, based on sedition charges and links with Pakistan”, he said.
Dr Singh said, earlier the so called mainstream Kashmir leaders were following the practice of selective condemnation of terrorism by targeting security forces but never mentioning the terrorists, but now, of late, they have also started the practice of selective political criticism by cleverly avoiding any reference to separatists or Hurriyat.
He added that even on their Twitter handles, these so-called mainstream leaders take potshots at everybody else but sheepishly avoid making any mention of Hurriyat or separatists or even Pakistan.
Even after the dastardly Pulwama terror attack, Dr Singh alleged, the vague condemnation by the so-called mainstream Kashmir leaders was made purely to go on record, but the phrases used were ambiguous, generalized and philosophical, without mentioning Pakistan or Hurriyat.
Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh reviewed the progress of preparing lists of potential beneficiaries of PM-KISAN Yojana, which is to be officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24.
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