Explain 'frequency matching' between Congress and Lashkar-e-Taiba: Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi

In a fierce attack on the Congress over Ghulam Nabi Azad's controversial Kashmir statement, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday raised questions whether there was a "match in frequency" of the party with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) as the terror outfit later came out in support of Azad's comment.

The BJP chief lashed out at another Congress leader Saifuddin Soz for reinforcing former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's assessment over Kashmir. Shah sought an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the statements made by his party leaders.

"Soon after fall of our government in Jammu and Kashmir, Gulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, gave a statement. I don't want to even repeat his statement," Shah said during his address on the occasion of "historic martyrdom anniversary" of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Shah said soon after he (Azad) gave the statement, Lashkar-e-Taiba supported his statement.

"I want to ask Congress President Rahul Gandhi that what kind of frequency matching is between the Congress and the Lashkar-e-Taiba that it (LeT) supported Azad's statement," the BJP leader said.

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"What relationship is this that ideologies of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Azad become similar. Should Rahul Gandhi answer or not?" he said.

Azad had reportedly said that Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir killed more common people than terrorists.

Saifuddin Soz, the former Union Minister on Friday said that he agrees with former Pakistani Army chief General Parvez Musharaf that Kashmir should be given freedom.

"Soz, you can take hundreds of births, but the BJP will not allow Kashmir to be disintegrated from India. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part and Syama Prasad Mookerjee has integrated it by laying down his life. You cannot change it," Shah stated.

Shah further said if they (Azad and Soz) have some self-respect, the Congress chief should ask both the leaders to tender an apology to the people of this country.

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"Should Congress President apologise to people of this country? I want to reassure people of J&K that nobody can disintegrate J&K from India," he said.

In his soon-to-be-released book Kashmir: Glimpses of History and the Story of Struggle, Soz has said that "independence" is the first choice of Kashmiris as he supported former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's assessment in this regard.

This was Shah’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after his party withdrew its support for the PDP-led government in the state.