New Delhi: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday hit back at former Home Minister P Chidambaram over his sly comment on Kashmir, saying that freedom was denied to the people during Emergency.
Javadekar said that Kashmir was “burning” during the former’s stint as the Union Home Minister.
“He (Chidambaram) said that there is no freedom in Kashmir. Freedom was not in 1975 when press freedom was ended censorship was brought in. Today, all newspapers and TV channels are operating in Kashmir,” said Javadekar.
“My government has given full information about some detainees in Kashmir. Journalists from India and abroad are visiting there and showing what they want,” he added.
“Stone-pelting has decreased by more than half. During Chidambaram’s time, Kashmir was burning, now it is on the path of progress,” he stated.
Javadekar’s response comes after Chidambaram commented on the situation of Kashmir wherein the latter said,” As I steeped out and breathed the air of freedom at 8 pm last night, my first thought and prayers were for the 75 lakh people of the Kashmir Valley who have been denied their basic freedoms since August 4, 2019.”
The Congress leader also said that he was “particularly concerned about the political leaders who have been detained without charges” in Jammu and Kashmir.