A day after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn in as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at the head of a PDP-BJP government, his remark that Pakistan, the Hurriyat and militants had created a conducive atmosphere for elections in the State, rocked both Houses of Parliament, with Opposition parties demanding an explanation from an embarrassed Centre.
In the Lok Sabha, the Opposition stormed out of the House, expressing dissatisfaction with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s response to a Congress-sponsored adjournment motion on the subject. The Opposition demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Mr. Sayeed just before the BJP and the PDP struck a final deal to form a government, must reveal the contents of their conversation.
Even BJP ally, the Shiv Sena, joined the Opposition in condemning Mr. Sayeed’s remarks. Sena MP Sanjay Raut said it was an insult to the Army that had ensured that Jammu and Kashmir was still on the Indian map.
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Meanwhile, Mr. Sayeed sought to sidestep his controversial remarks, as his daughter and PDP MP Mehbooba Mufti admitted that there would be teething problems.