The Bharatiya Janata Party today rejected the “unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir” , suggested by an All Parties Meeting in view of the holy month of Ramadan and Amarnath Yatra, saying that they have not given any such proposal.
“This issue was raised first by Engineer Rashid (independent MLA) and then by others. But there was no broader discussion on the issue and we don’t want any unilateral ceasefire at this juncture,” the party spokesmen Arun Gupta and Sunil Sethi said in press conference in Jammu.
“The unilateral ceasefire is not going to happen. It was just a suggestion but it was not a point of discussion”, they said. The party spokesman, however, said there was no confrontation between Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP over the issue as it was not discussed between the two parties. “Whenever the two parties would discuss a unilateral ceasefire, we will put our point forward as we are against it,” they said.
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“We don’t believe in the unilateral ceasefire as it is not in the national interest. We think at present no relaxation should be given. Anyone who joins the militancy is killed in three days. We are on a strong wicket now. The unilateral ceasefire is not a good thing”, they said.
The BJP said that special force should come up to deal with the stone throwers as Jammu and Kashmir Police was not well equipped.
They said new techniques and weaponry has come up to deal with the stone throwers and rioters. They said the party has no problem in the suggestion to meet the Prime Minister on his visit to the State but it is not for the unilateral ceasefire. ‘We are not a party to any such thing,” they reiterated.
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On Wednesday Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after chairing a four-hour all-party meeting, which was convened by her to discuss the present situation in the Kashmir Valley, had appealed to all shades of opinion in joining in the mission to get the state out of violence and bloodshed.
Later talking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister said, "Everyone agreed that we should appeal to the Centre to consider a ceasefire like the unilateral ceasefire in Vajpayee's time (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari) in Ramzan and Amarnath yatra.” She said a ceasefire would provide relief to the people and help create a better atmosphere in the state.
She said the Centre should think on these lines so that the common people get some relief as they face many difficulties due to encounters, crackdowns and search operations.
However, the BJP said, the war against the militancy has entered into the last phase. “The times of Vajpayee were different. The situation on the border was different that time. The present situation is different. We are on way to bring peace in Jammu and Kashmir which Punjab saw after the militancy”, the BJP spokespersons said. They said that today’s stone thrower is tomorrow’s potential militant. “We are against tying hands of the Army”, the BJP said.
