 "Jitendra Singh")
Union Minister Jitendra Singh today attacked the Congress for being "politically bankrupt" and speaking the language of Kashmiri separatists.
"On Congress reaction to Gen Rawat's statement, we have already cleared our stand. Some newspapers have carried it. In one word, it can be summed up as 'political bankruptcy" (of Congress)," Singh said demanding a clarification from Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on whether the party endorsed remarks of senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad criticising army chief Bipin Rawat's statement on tough action against locals hampering counter-militancy operations in Kashmir.
Fully defending Gen Rawat, Singh said "What army chief has said, Congress people are twisting it as if he has said that army should go after youths and beat them up. His statement should not be read as a challenge or warning but as a concern and worry expressed by him".
"Indian army is only army which has such a concern and worries. Army chief is worried that nobody should get hurt during counter insurgency operations," he said.
On India's acceptance on global level for its viewpoint on terrorism, Singh said "except for a handful of people, rest of 125 crore people understand that entire world is slowly accepting the viewpoint of PM Narendra Modi over global terrorism. That is why Pakistan is under pressure and will continue to remain under pressure".
"Modi government has zero tolerance and also zero tolerance to those helping terrorism. During past two and half period under PM Modi, whole world is coming to point of view of India, which was lacking earlier. It is because of the diplomatic consistency of India and policy of conviction and clarity of India followed by Modi government," he said.
On Kashmiri separatists, Singh said "as far as separatists are concerned we have always being saying that they have the cake and eat it too. The separatism being followed in Kashmir valley, it is not separatism by conviction but convenience".
"So called separatist leaders have been following mainstream legislators and they are still mentioned as former legislators and are drawing privileges and perks under the Constitution of India but publicly they subscribe that they do not follow the Constitution of India," he said.
"But more worrisome is that so called mainstream political parties have also resorted to separatist jargon once they are out of power. Once they are in power, they said J&K is integral part of India," Singh said.
He expressed confidence that BJP will win elections in five states as it is the only alternative in these states.
On UP elections, he said "BJP will emerge as victorious because the people of UP want liberation from corruption to crime. They see BJP as an alternative. BJP can provide an alternative. In Manipur also, we have hope of victory there also. BJP is an alternative in Manipur as well".
"Rahul Gandhi has to clear his and his party's stand on what Ghulam Nabi Azad has been saying. Is it the party line? Ghulam Nabi Azad is using same language which NC is using.
"It is worrisome that a national party like Congress for the last few days visualising its defeat in five states has started speaking separatists' language and this language is unbecoming of a national party which has become a limited party now," Singh said.
"If it is so, is that they are foreseeing the defeat in polls of five states. And they are disheartened in such a way, they were forced to use the language of separatists in the same way as some political parties of Kashmir do after losing power in J&K," he said.
Replying to a question on settlement of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis in Jammu, he said "I have already said that there should be a probe into it. The people who are demanding probe should be probed as Congress was in government from 2002 to 2014, and also at the Centre. What was the conspiracy and who settled them should be probed. They have made these people as vote banks".
