No statehood till peace prevails, says Ashok Koul
Srinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party J&K General Secretary Ashok Koul on Saturday stirred a row by calling political leaders other that those with the BJP as frogs.
“Let election time come, all the political leaders will come out to join the fray,” Koul said.
“Prime Minister Narendera Modi has announced the elections will be held in J&K and there will be ministers and chief minister. We too want polls to take place in J&K. Delimitation exercise is already on and when that will end, Assembly polls will be held,” Koul said while talking to reporters after unfurling the tri-colour at BJP headquarters in Srinagar on the eve of 74th Independence Day.
Asked some political leaders have stated that they won’t contest polls, Koul said they had ‘claimed the same earlier too when panchayat polls were held’.
“They didn’t contest panchayat polls, but joined poll fray in Parliamentary election. I bet when poll bugle for the Assembly will be blown, all these mainstream leaders will come out of their homes like frogs and join the poll pray,” Koul said.
Koul said that Prime Minister Narendera Modi announced about holding Assembly polls in J&K from the Red Fort. “We need to be ready about the new political process,” he said.
Asked about the restoration of statehood, he said that GoI is committed to restore the state status to the J&K.
“But for that all guns should fall silent. Yesterday, two policemen were killed. What was their fault? One of the slain policemen was supposed to get engaged today,” Koul said.
“When people would start moving on rounds without fear, statehood will return,” he said.
About the security concerns of BJP workers, he said government and the police have already taken some steps and more will be done in the days ahead.
On why internet was snapped on I-Day eve even when J&K is now a UT, he said that 2-G is working fine and when last gun of militants will fall silent and separatist activities would stop permanently, “statehood and 4-G should be restored on the very day.”
(Syndicated feed from KNO)
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