Union Minister and former Army Chief, VK Singh reportedly said on Monday, February 18 that South Kashmir was peaceful between 2005 and 2012, when the Congress-led UPA-II government was in power at the Centre.
Addressing a press conference, Singh said, “This very same South Kashmir was very peaceful between 2005 and 2012. What’s the reason for the surge in incidents there after 2012? Have you analysed this? Why did this happen?”, reported ANI.
The Minister of State for External Affairs reportedly said that the Kashmir issue was one of a proxy war, and apparently defended the current government’s policies. “The Kashmir issue is not simple. It’s an issue of proxy war. It’s an issue for which things should have been done earlier. Don’t judge success or failure of a policy, based on one incident. There was an encounter, where an officer and three jawans died. This doesn’t mean the situation is bad,”
“There are many things required to be done in Kashmir and there are many being done. Some have succeeded, some have not. I am positive that the government is ensuring that this issue is looked at very seriously,” Singh added, reported ANI.
The Narendra Modi government’s policies in Kashmir have come under intense scrutiny following the terror attack on a convoy of CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14. Around 40 jawans were killed in the attack that sparked nation-wide outrage.
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