BJP: Militants can't be forgiven, whether local or outsider

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s plea to the police to make "local boys" who have joined militancy part of the mainstream faced strong resistance from the BJP. The party said on Saturday that militant, whether local or outsider, "cannot be forgiven" and should be dealt with as law of land demands.

"A militant, who is responsible for the killing of innocent civilians as well as army and security personnel, besides being involved in picking up the gun against the nation, cannot be forgiven," Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit spokesperson Arun Gupta said.

During the Police Commemoration Day function held at Armed Police Complex in Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar on Friday Mehbooba had said, "Those who have taken up arms or those who have not but are missing from their homes and want to join militancy, they are local boys".

"I request the police to try to bring them back to their homes. Instead of their being killed in encounters, if it ispossible to bring them back, make them a part of the mainstream, give them bats, balls and good education, instead of guns," she had said.

Her remarks came in the wake of a prolonged unrest in the Valley triggered by gunning down of local Hizbul militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

Gupta said a local militant or one from a foreign land are indulging in the same activity and the country cannot accept it as a

"forgiving mistake".

He said no country can accept raising of gun against it and the people involved have to be dealt with as law of land demands.

Also Read: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti urges police to bring youths back to mainstream

"BJP is of the firm belief that all nationalist forces need to be respected and those involved in anti-national activities be taught an exemplary lesson," the spokesperson said.

Taking on Chief Minister indirectly for her remarks, Gupta said, "Our police and special forces cannot be made to remain quiet and accept these situations, but they be given full authority to deal with these elements as situation warrants".

"It is the lacklustre and appeasing policy and attitude of previous governments in the country which have brought things to this level that anybody, if so desires, can talk or work against the nation without any question or action," he said.

"BJP cannot and will not accept this under any circumstances and would only work for the development of the state and nation and any force coming in the way to harming the nation would be dealt as strongly as needed," Gupta said.

He said the BJP, which is in coalition government with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, wonders as to how a nation can progress when an "indisciplined citizen" is given so much importance over the "law abiding and nationalist" one, and appeasement policy, whether for stone-pelter, separatist or a militant, is always "ready on platter".

Gupta said "enough is enough" and no there would not be any more "tolerating of such an activity" which is against the interests of the nation.