Has the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost its narrative? Post the Pulwama terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence was a bit of a let-down. It was time for our prime minister to break his silence and sense the public sentiment.
PM Modi on Saturday, February 21, insisted that the fight is against the menace of terrorism and denounced the reported attacks on Kashmiri youths in some parts of the country following the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on February 14 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at a rally in Tonk in Rajasthan, PM Modi said, "Our fight is for Kashmir, not against Kashmiris," PM Modi said, adding: "We want our sisters and brothers of Kashmir to be rid of terrorism." PM Modi also said Kashmiri youths should not be targeted anywhere in the country.
"Kashmiris have suffered the most due to terrorism, and the rest of the country must stand in their support. Our fight is against those who sponsor or support terrorism," Modi asserted.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has been a vociferous critic of the Prime Minister for his silence on the attacks on Kashmiris following the February 14 suicide attack, welcomed Modi's remarks and hoped the "forces targeting Kashmiris will stop in their tracks".
In a tweet, Abdullah thanked PM Modi saying the Prime Minister finally spoke what was in the hearts of Kashmiris.
Taking to Twitter, Abdullah also said, "It's been a more than a week since the terrible attack in Pulwama and more than a week that Kashmiris have been bearing the brunt of the public anger. Perhaps finally after PM @narendramodi Sb has spoken these forces targeting Kashmiris will stop in their tracks."
Both him and another former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had criticised the Prime Minister for his silence over the attacks on Kashmiri students and businessmen in some states outside Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror strike that took place on the Jammu-Srinagar highway when a Jaish-e-Mohammad operative rammed an explosive-laden SUV into a CRPF convoy.
Party men of Abdullah's National Conference took out a peaceful protest in Srinagar on Saturday, February 23, to condemn attacks on Kashmiri students and businessmen in some of the states.
Over 40 CRPF personnel were killed on February 14 after a suicide bomber blew up his car full of explosives near a CRPF convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
(Inputs from agencies)
