Pune: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday slammed Pakistan for the spurt in terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, including targeted killings of migrant labourers, and said India must have an ‘aar paar ki ladaai’ with its neighbour to set things right.
He also said India should not play its scheduled T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on October 24 in order to teach the latter a lesson.
“If Pakistan does not stop its activities in the (J-K) Valley, then there has to be an aar paar ki ladaai (all out war to settle things once and for all). In J-K, attacks are taking place on migrant labourers, local Kashmiri Pandits are being targeted. It is Pakistan’s ploy to not allow development in the Valley,” the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment told reporters.
“By resorting to such militant attacks, there is an attempt to spread fear among the workers who are coming to the Valley from UP and Bihar. But the Centre will not fall prey to such tactics and a strategy is being formed to end militancy. There is need to conduct another surgical strike against Pakistan, which needs to vacate PoK and stop terror activities,” the minister added.
Queried on the upcoming T20 match between the two nations, Athawale said India should not play Pakistan, adding that he would express his opinion on this matter to BCCI secretary Jay Shah.
Speaking about other issues, the RPI(A) leader said the Supreme Court had allowed states to take a decision on reservations in promotions, but states were taking the “opposite decision”.
“We appeal to the states to allow reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotions. We also want the Centre to come up with a law in the regard,” the minister said.
He said his party was also in favour of a caste-base census, though the government’s stand was that such an exercise may increase casteism in the country, he said.
“A caste-based census will give us the population count of communities, and this will help bring in welfare schemes for them in a better way,” Athawale said.
He rejected NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s allegations that the Centre was using probe agencies under its command to target opposition parties and leaders.
“These agencies are under the Centre but they function independently. The government is not telling them whom to target,” he added.
Also read: India shouldn’t play against Pakistan in T20 World Cup amid attacks in Kashmir, Atishi says