AGENCY
HAZARIBAGH (JHARKHAND): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror strikes in Kashmir valley yesterday calling it a “shameful” attempt to attack Indian democracy.
Addressing an election meeting here, he hailed the army personnel who made the supreme sacrifice with their lives to protect the country’s security and the nation would never forget them.
“Terrorists made a shameful attempt to attack the democracy of India. But the brave jawans sacrifised their lives protecting the country’s security,” he told an election rally here.
“I pay my tributes to Jharkhand?s brave son Sankalp Kumar Shukla and other brave jawans who sacrifised their lives. Sankalp Kumar Shukla?s martyrdom will be remembered by future generations in the state,” he said.
Lt Col Sankalp Kumar of Punjab Regiment was among the eight army men and three policemen killed in Mohra army camp in Uri sector by a group of six militants, believed to have come from across the border.
The attacks by Pakistan yesterday came just three days after a 72 per cent voter turnout was registered in the second phase of incident-free Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday in a rerun of record polling in the first phase.
The attacks and gun battles with security forces left in all 21 people dead. Among them was a top commander of Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT and seven militants.
Meanwhile, a day after four terror attacks set Kashmir Valley back on its heels, BJP said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go ahead with his election rally in Srinagar as scheduled on December 8.
“Prime Minister is addressing the election rally as per schedule on December 8. There is no change in that programme,” former Union minister and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.
He said “people of Jammu and Kashmir are waiting eagerly for the Prime Minister” who will address gatherings at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in the Valley.
The BJP leader said Prime Minister invited his Pakistani counterpart to the oath taking ceremony and made it clear to him that the country is ready for dialogue but the talks cannot be held amid the sound of blasts.
Referring to the yesterday’s attacks which left 21 persons, including 11 security personnel and two civilians dead, he said, “Pakistan is not going to learn lessons.”
The BJP leader, however, said, “Modi is capable enough of answering every question of Pakistan and will treat its illness. If they are under any wrong notion, they will get the answer.
“Innocent people were murdered as the people taking part in a democratic exercise were attacked,” he said.
In reply to a question, he said high voter turnout is no referendum.
“This is no referendum… There is no option for referendum. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. There is a resolution passed in the Parliament (in 1994),” he said.
He said BJP consider serving the people of Jammu and Kashmir as its national duty.
“We are not doing any favour (to the people of Jammu and Kashmir). Prime Minister has made it clear that ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. We are not going to leave anyone (out),” he said. (PTI)
