Mainstream parties behind Lal Chowk grenade attack: BJP

Calling the recent grenade blast in Lal Chowk as “political terrorism”, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday alleged some local mainstream political party carried out the attack for electoral gains.
“The attack was carried out by some political vested interests,” BJP General Secretary Turun Chik said at a press conference here. “People here are well aware who is doing this and who will benefit from it. These are not allegations but I am stating facts.”
“I have minutely observed this during the Parliament polls as well. Those who think boycotting (elections) and violent incidents would suit them, they would try to enforce the boycott and indulge in violence,” he said.
While condemning the militants attack on the Sarpanch of ruling National Conference in Shopian district yesterday, BJP demanded a probe by the Election Commission into the incident.
“We condemn this and demand the Election commission to order a proper inquiry into the incidents. The administration should cooperate with the election body in the probe,” he said.
However he refused to elaborate or name the political party allegedly involved in the attack.
Softening its stand on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J&K, the party said that if voted to power, it would create an atmosphere where such a law would not be required.
“If BJP comes to power, there would not be any need of such a law (AFSPA). We will create such an atmosphere where there would be no need of the stringent law,” BJP leader and state-party in charge Ramesh Arora said.
Arora said the state was coming out of a huge turmoil and there was international interest in the place to stop the country’s growth.
“Jammu and Kashmir is coming out of a huge turmoil. It is a place where international focus and interest is there as they – be it Pakistan, China or other countries – want that India should not grow. We want the place to grow,” he said.
Arora also hit out at the other parties for criticizing BJP on the issue of Article 370.
“We have said we want a discussion over the issue and would involve 100 per cent public opinion on it. Now that BJP has kept a low profile on it, people who have worked on communal, regional and divisive lines in the state have been exposed and started giving provocative speeches. We do not believe in provocative speeches,” he said apparently referring to Omar Abdullah’s speech on the issue in Handwara on Saturday.
On the demands for scrapping the state’s power sharing agreement with NHPC, the BJP leader said, “the first right to electricity is of the state subject and then some share can go outside. It is our thinking and ideology that people in any state should have the first right over what that state produces.”
Taking a dig at National Conference-led coalition government for not repealing AFSPA, the BJP leader said Omar Abdullah did nothing in this regard despite being the unified command chief.
“People should ask him why he did not do anything to get it (AFSPA) revoked,” he said.
He claimed that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was “thinking” about post-poll alliance with BJP as he has been unnerved by the BJP “wave”.
“He (Omar) should clear his misconceptions as we won’t require any support from any party as we are surely going to achieve Mission 44 Plus.  We are of the opinion that we would not need any support. Omar has said the BJP would need support to form a government here. You (Omar) be good or bad, that people know, but we would not need your support because we will get 44 plus seats and so you should not befool people,” he said.
Terming Congress a party “without vision and commitment”, he said Congress’ objective was only to remain in the power.
“It is an opportunist party having no ideology, vision or commitment. To remain in power, it entered into the coalition with PDP in 2002 and with NC in 2008,” he said.
BJP member Altaf Thakur said they would be sending invitation to schools and colleges, and an open invitation was being given to the general public to be part of the rally to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Srinagar next week.
Meanwhile, BJP released its vision document on the occasion.