That a trivial incident on the Eid day in Kishtwar had flared up into a major communal strife is most unfortunate. Omar Abdullah was right in stopping the BJP leader Arun Jaitley and Mehbooba Mufti of PDP from entering the affected areas, as both of them had apparently intended to fish in the troubled waters. But Mr. Arun Jaitley had a chance to blow the entire episode out of proportion in the Parliament. His diatribe that there is a threat to India’s integrity and sovereignty, and that the riots should not be seen as merely an inter-communal strife (meaning that there was Pakistan hand), was outlandish. He also tried to mislead the house by saying that ‘one community’ was selectively targeted…while it became clear through print media that both the Hindus and Muslims were affected in the communal riots. The Hindu carried a report, as how Muslims escorted the Hindus and helped in performing a marriage in the midst of the riots. It is obvious the BJP wants to leave no stone unturned to convert anything under the sun into political opportunism as the general elections are drawing closer.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa, A.P.