Home minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajnath Singh said on Monday the government fully dissociated itself from the statement of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that Pakistan, Hurriyat and militants 'allowed' smooth conduct of assembly polls in the state.
The Congress, however, demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in the house condemning Sayeed's statement.
The BJP and Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) forged a coalition government after inconclusive elections two months ago for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. Sayeed described the alliance as the "coming together of the North Pole and the South Pole".
"The credit for smooth polls in J&K goes to Election Commission, army, paramilitary forces and people of the state," the home minister said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should condemn Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's statement. He was present in Srinagar when Sayeed made the statement," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said amid furore in the Lok Sabha after Singh's statement on Mufti's comment.
"What I said about Sayeed's statement is after consulting the Prime Minister. He doesn't need to comment on the matter," Singh replied to the Congress' demand.
The PDP-BJP coalition government got off to a controversial start on Sunday after Sayeed said that credit for the smooth conduct of the polls must be given to "people from across the border" only to be contradicted by BJP central leadership which said it was due to efforts of the Election Commission and the security forces.
Soon after taking oath, Sayeed said credit must be given to people from across the border, an oblique reference to Pakistan, Hurriyat and militant outfits, for "allowing conducive atmosphere" for assembly polls.
"I want to say this on record and I have told this to the Prime Minister that the we must credit the Hurriyat, militant outfits for the conduct of assembly elections in the state," Sayeed said during a press conference here after being sworn in as head of the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir at a ceremony which was attended by the PM.
Realising the consequences of such remarks, BJP by evening contested the claim, saying the exercise had been successful due to the efforts of the Election Commission and Indian Army and of those who believe in the Indian Constitution.
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah hit out at Sayeed's remarks and asked BJP to explain its stand.
"Pakistan, Huriyaat & Militants ALLOWED Peaceful conduct of elections" says Sayeed, I guess we should be grateful to their generosity (sic).
"Dear @BJP4India Please explain role of security forces & Polling staff considering your CM just said, "Pakistan allowed elections in J&K", Omar wrote on the microblogging site Twitter.
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