Congress leader P Chidambaram's advocacy of greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir prompted a fierce attack on the party by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accused it of "shamelessly" lending its voice to calls for "Kashmir's azadi".
The National Conference, which ruled the restive state for several decades and is now the main opposition, meanwhile, passed a resolution, vowing to continue its struggle for restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir in its "original, pristine form".
It also asked both India and Pakistan to initiate a “sustained and comprehensive” dialogue to resolve the Kashmir imbroglio.
"All of a sudden, those who were in power till yesterday, have taken a U-turn. Shamelessly, they are making a statement and are lending their voice for Kashmir's azadi," Modi told BJP workers in Bengaluru.
Chidambaram, a former Union home minister, had said in poll-bound Gujarat's Rajkot on Sunday that when people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for "azadi", most of them mean they want greater autonomy.
Under scathing attack from the Prime Minister, Chidambaram said in New Delhi that Modi imagined a "ghost and was attacking it".
Chidambaram said it was obvious that the Prime Minister had not read the whole answer to the question put to him on Jammu and Kashmir at the Rajkot event.
The Congress, however, sought to distance itself from the remarks of Chidambaram on Kashmir, saying the “opinion of an individual is not necessarily the opinion of the party”.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and "will always remain so unquestionably."
(With inputs from PTI)
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
Also read: Why is Congress Supporting Azadi in Kashmir, Asks Modi in K’taka
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