Have zero tolerance policy, won't go soft: BJP on hardliner's release

Amidst the row with its ruling coalition partner Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir over the release of separatist leader Masarat Alam, Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesdat said it had a “zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and separatism” and did not agree with the move.

Asked about the issue which has rocked the PDP-BJP alliance within days of its government taking charge in J-K, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that not only did it not agree with the way that Masarat, a Hurriyat hardliner, was released, but it was also against the decision.

“BJP adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and separatism and will not bow down by allowing soft or weak policy on these issues,” he said.

“The manner in which a separatist leader has been released, BJP does not agree with it. We are against it. It is wrong,” he said, adding that Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Monday made it clear in both Houses of Parliament.

“Home minister is keeping a close watch on the issue and whatever will happen will be as per the Constitution and as per the law,” he said.

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A delegation of J-K BJP leaders will meet party president Amit Shah today and apprise him of the meeting they had on Mondau with J-K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

According to sources, a delegation of J-K BJP leaders met Sayeed and handed a memorandum to him on the issue of Alam’s release while conveying the party leadership’s “annoyance” to him over the matter.

The party leaders conveyed to Sayeed that the decision to release Alam was not discussed with BJP and done unilaterally, which was against the agenda of the Common Minimum Programme agreed between the allies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday in Lok Sabha denounced the release of Alam by the J-K government, in which BJP is a partner, saying he shared the “outrage” over the unacceptable decision and would take whatever action was required.

“I assure the country and the House that whatever is happening there in J-K, the Union government was neither consulted not informed... Government does not accept such action. In one voice, we express our anger against those supporting separatists and misusing the law. In the coming days, we will take whatever action is required and we are committed to the nation’s integrity,” Modi had said.

Meanwhile, unfazed by the controversy over the release of separatist Masarat Alam, Peoples Democratic Party said the Jammu and Kashmir government will abide by the court directives on the release of political prisoners.

“Whatever the Supreme Court and courts tell us, we are going to abide by that (on release of political prisoners in future)”, senior PDP leader and Minister for Sports, Imran Raza Ansari said on the sidelines of a sports event.

Asked whether the Mufti Sayeed government has written to New Delhi assuring it that the policy to release political prisoners will be put on hold, Raza said, “Whatever law says ...whatever courts direct us ...we have been maintaining this”.

On the issue of consulting coalition partner BJP or New Delhi, Raza said, “We are implementing authorities (of court orders).”

“We are doing political reconciliation. Let that happen,” he said.