Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Bats For Article 370 In Jammu & Kashmir, Says ‘Should Not Take Action Against Kashmiris’

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday courted controversy by speaking in favour of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, in contrast to the belief of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the centre, who is also their NDA ally.

Expressing discomfort over the recent Pulwama attack and the subsequent hate crimes against Muslims, especially Kashmiris, across the country, the Bihar CM appealed to the country to not boycott Kashmir, calling it an ‘integral part of India’ and that Muslims too are aggrieved by the state of affairs.

“The Muslim community in this country is equally pained over the Pulwama attack like everyone. I don’t understand why someone wants to boycott Kashmir. We should not take action against Kashmiris as they are part of India,” Kumar said, news agency ANI reported.

The Janata Dal (United) leader also said that he believes Article 370, which gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, should not be revoked and that the government should focus on thwarting terrorism in the Valley.

“Whatever action is required to take against terrorists, the government will surely take it. I personally can never think of revoking Article 370 from the Valley,” Kumar said.

Banned Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out a brutal attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans on February 14 in Awantipora area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The attack took place around 3:30 pm after a suicide bomber, identified as local boy Adil Ahmad Dar, in a Mahindra Scorpio car loaded with 350 kilograms of explosives rammed into a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying over 2500 CRPF personnel on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway. (Times Now)