Smriti Irani reacts to Chidambaram’s J&K autonomy statement; says he supports those who murdered security forces

Minister of Information & Broadcasting Smriti Irani on Saturday hit back at Congress leader P Chidambaram’s statement that autonomy should be given to J&K people.

Irani said that it is quite shocking and disgusting that P Chidambaram today spoke about breaking the Union of India into pieces and supports those who actually murdered our security forces just so that they can play havoc with law & order situation in J&K.

Irani said that Chidambaram’s statement reflects the Congress mentality. She added that Rahul Gandhi is known to have supported those people who had given the statement 'Bharat Tere Tukde honge' in JNU crisis.

“For them to talk about Azadi on a land that gave us Sardar Patel, he gave entire life to make sure India stood united under one constitution. What is the message Congress is trying to give, that at their doorstep of political gain they are willing to sacrifice nationhood?” said Irani.

Earlier in the day, Chidambaram said that his interaction with people in the state led him to the conclusion that when they ask for azadi, most of them want autonomy.

Chidambaram suggested that giving autonomy to J&K must be considered. He said that J&K will remain part of India but will have larger powers as promised under Article 370.

Chidambaram was also critical of the Modi government’s demonetization drive. He said that this was the biggest man-made disaster that hit India and it was worse than the Tsunami that hit in 2004.

Chidambaram said that he would have quit as finance minister if forced to implement the demonetisation.

He also targeted Modi over “hasty” implementation of the GST, and his pet bullet train project.

“If my prime minister had asked me to do demonetisation, I would have advised him ‘please don’t’, and if he had insisted, then I would have resigned,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event where he delivered a lecture on ‘The state of economy’.