PM slams Chidambaram for his Kashmir ‘Azadi’ remark

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today slammed senior Congress leader P Chidambaram saying his remarks on Kashmir’s autonomy were an insult to soldiers. “Why are Congress leaders lending their voice to those who want Azadi in Kashmir? This is an insult to our brave soldiers,” said PM Modi.

Indirectly hitting out at Chidambaram, Modi said, “Yesterday’s statement of a Congress leader on Kashmir clearly shows how the party feels on surgical strikes and bravery of our Army.”
“Can the nation really benefit from such people who are intent on playing politics with the nation’s brave? The Congress needs to answer for this statement, we won’t allow a compromise on the country’s unity,” Modi said while addressing a gathering in Karnataka.

Reprehensible attempt by Congress to support those calling for Azadi in Kashmir. This is nothing but an insult to our soldiers. pic.twitter.com/kUWG1M1ObI

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2017

Taking a potshot at the Congress, he said, “All of a sudden today, those who were in power in the past are making U-turns. They are shamelessly making statements.”

On Saturday, P Chidambaram said that when people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for ‘azadi’ they seek greater autonomy.

“The demand in Kashmir is to respect in letter and spirit the Article 370 and that means they want greater autonomy. My interactions in Jammu and Kashmir led me to the conclusion that when they ask for Azadi, overwhelming majority wants autonomy,” Chidambaram said.

Union Minister Smriti Irani also slammed Chidambaram for his remark. She said that it was “shocking and disgusting” that the former home minister had spoken about “breaking the Union of India into pieces”.