‘Architect of Bloodshed’: BJP Tears Into NC For Provoking Violence In J&K Following Kulgam Attack

Srinagar: In a sharp critique of the National Conference (NC), Senior BJP leader and MLA from Padder-Nagseni, Sunil Sharma, held the party responsible for a series of violent events that have scarred Jammu and Kashmir’s history.

Speaking during a visit to the 92-Base Hospital in Srinagar, Sharma’s remarks came in the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in Kulgam’s Behibagh village, where ex-serviceman Manzoor Wagay was killed, and his wife and niece were left critically injured.

Accompanied by BJP J&K president Sat Sharma, former president Ravinder Raina, and other senior party leaders, Sharma extended his condolences to Wagay’s family. "We are here to inquire about the condition of the critically injured sisters and to offer our deepest sympathies to the grieving family," Sharma said.

While offering solidarity, the BJP leaders pledged their full support to the bereaved family in accordance with directives from the party’s high command. However, it was Sharma’s scathing criticism of the National Conference that stole the spotlight.

He accused the party of playing a central role in Jammu and Kashmir's turbulent past, linking the NC to historical events such as the 1931 riots, the 1989 mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, and the recent attack in Kulgam.

"National Conference has been the architect of bloodshed and suffering, from the 1931 riots to the forced exile of Kashmiri Hindus in 1989 and now the tragic Kulgam attack," Sharma said.

His comments reflected the BJP's longstanding narrative of holding the NC accountable for J&K's decades of unrest.

Dr. Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference, recently cast doubt on the central government's claims of eradicating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir, following the attack.

"If terrorism has ended, incidents like the Kulgam attack should not be happening," Abdullah said, accusing the BJP-led government of making hollow claims while violence continues unabated.

In contrast, BJP J&K president Sat Sharma pointed to external forces, particularly elements allegedly acting on Pakistan’s instructions, attempting to destabilize the region. "These elements will not be spared," he said, pledging that the sacrifices of the victims would not go in vain.

At the national level, Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level security review meeting today—his second in as many days—to assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah assured that the Modi government’s efforts have significantly weakened the region's terror infrastructure. "The fight against terrorism will intensify, with a focus on zero infiltration," Shah stated, directing security agencies to heighten their operations.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) senior leader and MLA from Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, condemned the attack on innocent civilians but also voiced concerns over the mass detentions that followed. "Collective punishment of an entire community is unjust and unacceptable," Tarigami said, condemning the reported detentions of hundreds of youths by the police in connection with the attack.