PM is compassionate as also tough: Paswan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is compassionate as well as tough, Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today, while defending his policy on Kashmir against the backdrop of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's attack.

Gandhi had yesterday alleged that the government's strategy had created a space in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir for Pakistan to "misbehave".

India blames Pakistan for creating turmoil in the Valley.

"Modiji ke ek ankh main karuna hai toh dusray ankh main jwala (Modi is compassionate on one hand, while is aggressive on the other hand)," said Paswan, who heads BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), when asked about the Gandhi's accusation.
 

Gandhi had attacked the prime minister a day after he reached out to Kashmiris in his Independence Day speech, saying bullets and abuses would not resolve their problems but embracing them would.

Paswan said India does not want to send out a signal that it wants to have war with Pakistan but seeks peaceful resolution of the problem.

The LJP leader, who was part of all-party delegation which visited Jammu and Kashmir last year to meet different sections, said the prime minister has clearly stated that India wants peace but it is also ready for "tit-for-tat if anybody threaten us".

Paswan said former prime minister A B Vajpayee had also travelled to Lahore for peace but later gave a befitting reply to Pakistan for its aggression in Kargil.

Paswan hailed the prime minister's Independence Day speech, saying the comment on embracing Kashmiris also gave a signal for the youth to join the mainstream.

He said the prime minister had also made it clear that there would be no softness on terrorism.

The call for achieving 'New India' by 2022 was "remarkable", Paswan said.

Asked about the allegation that Modi had not talked about job creation, he said it is a part of 'New India' pledge.

The LJP, at its national executive meeting held here today, passed a resolution, saying the prime minister is "leading the country on the path of development".

It also passed a vote of thanks to Modi for addressing various issues such as demonetisation, goods and service tax (GST) and social security in his Independence day speech, a party release said.