Chidambaram blames Centre's 'maximalist' stance for Kashmir unrest

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday alleged that the Centre has taken a “maximalist” position on Kashmir and “aggravated” the problem in the Valley.

His remarks came two days after the Centre briefed opposition parties on the stand-off with China and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of an attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

The former Union home minister said the Kashmir issue is “a festering wound” and the people of the Valley are caught between “two maximalist positions” taken by the central government and terrorists.

The casualties are the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the future of the state, he said in a series of tweets.

“Just as the militants have taken a maximalist position that has to be rejected out of hand, the Central government has taken a maximalist position that has aggravated the problem,” he said.

The senior Congress spokesperson posted on Twitter that on many occasions in the past, he had “cautioned that the Kashmir issue or problem (or by whatever name it is called) was a festering wound”.

The Opposition has been blaming the Centre and the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state for the unrest and violence in the Kashmir Valley since the death of Hizbul leader Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces last year.