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'Centre should call meeting of opposition leaders on Kashmir'

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Press Trust of India Mathura

Terming the situation in Kashmir "deplorable" and claiming that it was beyond the control of the BJP-led government, Youth Congress national president Keshav Chand Yadav has said the Centre should convene a meeting of leaders of different opposition parties to discuss the issue.

"The foreign policy of this government has miserably failed. Its internal policy is also in doldrums. It should call a meeting of leaders of opposition parties to discuss the Kashmir issue," Yadav told reporters here last evening.

He said the fact that Pakistan's flags were being unfurled in the Valley and jawans were getting killed or becoming victims of stone-pelting showed that as regards Kashmir, the policy of the current dispensation had completely failed, in spite of a BJP government at the Centre as well as in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Yadav reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his promise to bring 10 Pakistani heads for the head of one Indian soldier and alleged that the government had made even the killing of jawans a "jumla" (gimmickry).

"Without any plan to check the infiltration of terrorists and without deploying additional troops at the border, a truce was declared on account of Ramzan," he said, adding that the worst part of the government's Kashmir policy was that those who were loyal to India in the Valley would also have to suffer.

Alleging that the prime minister was not even prepared to listen to the majority of his own partymen, Yadav said the country was passing through an "undeclared emergency".

Claiming that democracy was "murdered" with the formation of BJP-led governments in some states, even though the saffron party fared poorly compared to other parties in the elections, the Youth Congress chief said at least a committee should be formed to prevent "open horse-trading".

Condemning certain remarks made by BJP leaders against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, he said it exposed the culture of the saffron party.

Yadav claimed that the people of the country would give a befitting reply to the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when like-minded parties would elect Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister.

The Youth Congress chief said he was in favour of elections being conducted on ballot papers, instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

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First Published: Jun 18 2018 | 6:00 PM IST

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