Katju's 'Bihar-Kashmir package deal' remark kicks up political storm
- by Leah Brady
- in Worldwide
- — Sep 28, 2016
Addressing Pakistanis, the septuagenarian wrote on Facebook, "You have to take the whole package, or none at all". The party's general secretary KC Tyagi, terming Katju's comments as "insensitive" and "intolerant", said it was unfortunate that a person of his stature had said so in the centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi's satyagraha, which began from West Champaran in Bihar.
" It's a package deal. Bihar is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment and it is not simple for anyone to take away Bihar from India". "We will not give you Kashmir alone", Katju tweeted as well as posted on Facebook on Monday.
"A few people are gripped with disease of getting printed in newspapers", he said in an apparent retort on Katju. I joke about many communities.
This infuriated many Indians for not only insulting the state of Bihar but also for making light of the Kashmir issue too soon after the Uri terrorist attacks.
The ruling Janata Dal (United) party in Bihar called Katju's comments seditious and demanded stern action against him, according to the Hindustan Times.
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State TV interrupted its normal programs with a series of news alerts announcing the operation and broadcasting patriotic songs. The pounding from the air is supporting offensives on the ground by Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian opposition forces.
Katju, who has never apologized for his previous offensive Facebook or Twitter comments, instead doubled down on his "joke" saying "there was certainly something wrong with the people of Bihar, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, who have no sense of humor".
The opposition BJP has also demanded Katju's "immediate arrest" on charges of "sedition". "The state of Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju a free hand to humiliate Bihar..."
Katju, in his post, said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee had offered this deal to (then Pakistan President Parvez) Musharraf at the (2001) Agra summit, but he stupidly rejected it".
Amid all the insults Katju also clarified that Pakistan has refused his "package deal" and has apologised for even asking Kashmir. "Now the offer is coming again", he added.
