Nehru is a 'criminal', responsible for 'Pakistan Occupied Kashmir', alleges Shivraj Singh Chouhan

In a stinging attack on the Congress over ongoing debate on Article 370, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday called Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, "a criminal". Chouhan, a three-time Madhya Pradesh chief minister, alleged that it was because of Nehru that parts of Kashmir are occupied by Pakistan.

"Jawaharlal Nehru is a criminal. When Indian forces were chasing out Pakistan tribal from Kashmir he declared a ceasefire, one third of Kashmir was occupied by Pakistan. If there wasn’t ceasefire for a few more days, the whole of Kashmir would have been ours," the BJP veteran was quoted as saying by ANI.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP: Jawaharlal Nehru is a criminal. When Indian forces were chasing out Pak tribals from Kashmir he declared a ceasefire, 1/3rd of Kashmir was occupied by Pak. If there wasn't ceasefire for a few more days, the whole of Kashmir would have been ours. (10.8) pic.twitter.com/gGDcWyoEFm

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

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Pointing to what he termed the "second crime" of Nehru, Chouhan said, Article 370, which created different laws within a same country, "was not an injustice to the country but a crime against it".

However, this is not the first time that Chouhan has attacked Nehru for his policy on Kashmir. Early in the month, he described the Centre's decision on Article 370 as a "rectification" of Nehru's decade-old mistake.

While speaking on Article 370 Resolution in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also held Nehru responsible for the controversial provisions, which according to him were the reason behind poverty and lack of development in the state.

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In a bold and far-reaching decision, the government, in early August, abolished Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP dispensation also passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 in Parliament, proposing that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.