Jammu: Hitting out at the government for “failing” to respond adequately and effectively to ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said it has emboldened the neighbouring country to perpetuate tension in the border areas.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said deaths of jawans and civilians on the borders have become a “regular feature” ever since the NDA Government has come to power at Centre.
Reminding the BJP leadership of its pre-election rhetoric on the subject, Azad asked why the ceasefire violations have not come to an end after the NDA Government came to power, as was promised so ostentatiously by the Prime Minister before the Lok Sabha elections.
He said the “failure” of the NDA Government is visible in the light of the BSF Director General’s statement in August that firing and shelling on the International Border with Pakistan was the “heaviest” after the 1971 war.
While condemning Pakistani forces for repeated ceasefire violations, Azad said the Centre has “failed to respond proportionately, adequately and effectively which probably has emboldened Pakistani forces to perpetuate tensions, thus creating hardships for people residing in border areas”.
“It seems that Pakistan is taking the new government non-seriously and is hell bent on creating tension in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir”, said Azad.
The senior Congress leader said NDA Government’s Pakistan policy is marked by “inconsistencies and flip-flops of weird proportions, as one day it is over zealously enthusiastic about talks, and the other day it raises shrill jingoistic clamour for war,” and added that the people of the country are wise enough not to lose sight of the “manipulative politics” being played by BJP.