Jammu, September 14 (Scoop News) – "Condemning the reported sacrilegious act involving holy Quran, State BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas urged both Hindus and Muslims to maintain peace in Jammu province. Cautioning that there are various anti-national elements who want to show that entire Jammu and Kashmir is on boil, he said that the situation already remained peaceful throughout Jammu province and every nationalist must contribute in maintaining peaceful atmosphere in province.
In a press conference held at party headquarters in Jammu,State BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas alongwith State General Secretary Sat Sharma said,the BJP activists have been asked to remain alert to foil any evil design anywhere in the province, he added.
In reply to a question Manhas said that any religious community has right to express their sentiments but we should guard against those elements who may try to disturb peace on one or other pretext. The administration needs to be more careful in isolating such elements and they should deal with them sternly while any community expresses its sentiments. He said some of the provocating slogans raised today in Rajouri,Poonch, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban Thathri and Kishtwar have scared the members of minority community and BJP expects the authorities to ensure that situation does not lead to any problems.
Holding the coalition government of National Conference (NC) and Congress fully responsible for the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the State BJP today said that it was high time that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should quit in the interest of the peace and stability of the state.
Manhas said,"The state administration and its political apparatus has contributed towards deterioration of the situation in Kashmir and its arc has now expanded in some areas of Jammu province, which is a matter of concern for all nationalists living in the state." The political inexperience of youthful chief minister and his team of ministers to handle the agitational situation in valley was one of the major factors that led to causalities of many youth in the last nearly three months of turmoil, he said adding this also led to encouraging the separatists and anti-national elements who are calling now shots.
Knowing the fact that there are only a few thousand people in Kashmir with separatist ideology, Manhas said the government should have taken appropriate measures under the law of the land to tackle such elements from the beginning to avoid making all other nationalists hostage to their evil designs. But the state apparatus sat limply resulting in the encouragement to divisive forces who are virtually running the affairs through their diktats in valley, he alleged.
BJP chief said,"Under these circumstance Omar Abdullah has lost moral and constitutional authority and he should quit from the government at the earliest to save the state from further deterioration.
The BJP leader also cautioned the centre government on taking any step for dilution of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) as it would give fillip to militancy in the state.