Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today reached out to the victims of Pakistani firing along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir and said that the Modi government has "no policy" to deal with Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Azad was replying to questions regarding the alleged failure of the central government's policy to deal with Pakistan and ensure putting an end to the ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pak border that has killed 13 people, including seven civilians and injured over 65 others.
"This government (BJP led Central government) has no policy to deal with Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir. They have forgotten the Pakistan policy as advocated by them during the elections. They keep on shifting from soft policy to hot policy but there are no end results visible on the ground," he told reporters here.
"The borders in Jammu and Kashmir have become very active and dangerous during the last three to four years. There has been heavy firing from Pakistan. There has been huge loss of life and destruction in the ceasefire violations," he said.
Azad, who was flanked by senior congress leader Ambika Sonia and leader of Congress Legislative Party Nawang Rigzin Jora, visited the victims of Pakistani shelling at camps set up by the government for their temporary housing in R S Pura, besides forward villages in the the Arnia and Kanachak sectors.
He said that the issue of Pakistani firing and shelling was raised in both Parliament and the state Assembly, but "hardly anything has been done to ensure ceasefire is maintained".
Taking a dig at the BJP for its poll promises to deal with Pakistan, Azad said, "The truth is that during the Congress period, there was better situation along the border than the present dispensation (led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi)."
"During the elections, the BJP used to target the Congress and its UPA government for being weak at the Centre to deal with ceasefire violations by Pakistan and made tall promises to the electorate that once they come to power, they will bring the situation to normal along the borders," he said.
The Congress leader said that now there was firing almost on a daily basis and there has been huge loss of life and damage to the property in the Pakistani shelling.
"They (BJP) have forgotten the promise they made to the electorate during the elections," Azad said. PTI