Rajiv Gandhi gheraoed parliament for Kashmiri Pandits: Congress's counter to BJP on exodus

It was Rajiv Gandhi, then LoP, who gheraoed Parliament when the exodus was going on and urged the government that it should help the victims but nobody listened, said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

New Delhi: Ever since the release of the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ issue of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandit has peaked and sparked a political blame game between the Congress and BJP.

While the BJP and its allies continue to target Congress for the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, the Congress has now countered by saying that it can’t hide its failure under the garb of a film.

However, Congress has responded by saying it was late PM Rajiv Gandhi who gheraoed the Parliament and protested against the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits.

 "It was Rajiv Gandhi, then LoP, who gheraoed Parliament when the exodus was going on and urged the government that it should help the victims but nobody listened. He was in pain as he has family roots in Kashmir. Who was running the government -- it was led by VP Singh with the support of the BJP,” said Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala.

“During 10 years of the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014 the government killed 4241 terrorists while 3000 jobs were given to Kashmiri Pandits as the PM package; 5911 transit houses were built while in the BJP`s eight years of rule only 520 jobs were given and 100 transit houses were built, they are only reopening old wounds but doing nothing," Surjewala added.

Later, the party Chief Minister in Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel, who watched the film said that it is based on half-truths and the BJP is making an issue out of it.

The Congress has time and again rejected the charge of not doing enough for Kashmiri Pandits and said that whatever was done for the welfare of the Pandits has been done by the Congress.

The party said that in the PMO led by the first Prime Minister to Indira Gandhi the Kashmiri Pandits were given the utmost importance. People like Makhan Lal Fotedar till he breathed his last were given importance in any decision taken on the issue of Kashmir by the party.

Congress also alleged that Modi is raising the issue for political dividends but doing nothing. The issue of Kashmiri Pandits has heated up since the release of the film and after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about it.

PM Modi said on March 15 that films like this need to be made so that people can know the truth. Modi said that there have been attempts to conceal the truth from the nation for a very long time and films like `The Kashmir Files` need to be made to bring out the truth before the people.