Government, BJP dissociate with Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's statement; Opposition walks out

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: The BJP-PDP honeymoon has just begun in Kashmir Valley, but the partners seem headed straight for disharmony after PDP and its CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed triggered one controversy after another, leaving the saffron camp red-faced in New Delhi and Jammu.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Monday after Opposition demanded an explanation from the PM and BJP over Sayeed’s statement on Sunday thanking Pakistan and separatists for the peaceful election. Worse, a set of PDP legislators demanded on Monday that the mortal remains of Afzal Guru would be returned, and termed his hanging two years ago after conviction in the Parliament attack case as "travesty of justice".

BJP reacted sharply to the Guru remarks. "We condemn the demand made by PDP. There should be zero-tolerance towards terrorism. There should be no politics on the issue of terrorism or terrorists," party national secretary Srikant Sharma told ET.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh who defended BJP in Parliament said the government and the party dissociated themselves from the statement by Mufti thanking Pakistan and Hurriyat. "I have spoken to the PM before saying this and so nobody should have any doubt in their minds. The credit for the peaceful atmosphere goes to Election Commission, our security forces and to the people of J&K," he said, adding there is no question of the PM making a statement on the issue.

The controversy refused to die down as Mufti reiterated that he stood by his comments while his daughter Mehbooba said that the CM thanked Hurriyat because they remained low key during this assembly polls unlike earlier ones where they campaigned door to door to boycott polls.