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Published 18 Mar, 2018 03:33pm

Former PM Manmohan Singh blames Modi govt for deteriorating situation in India-held Kashmir

Former Indian premier Manmohan Singh on Sunday held the right-wing Narendra Modi-led government responsible for the worsening situation in India-held Kashmir (IHK), NDTV reported.

There has been a noticeable increase in violence in IHK since Modi's hardline Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came into power. The Indian army's crackdown on protests and separatist movements in Kashmir have led to more riots. Militancy in held Kashmir has increased since the Indian army killed a popular commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Burhan Wani, in 2016.

Singh, speaking at the Indian National Congress plenary session in New Delhi, said: "India must recognise the "problems in Jammu and Kashmir" and ensure that these problems are "tackled and sorted".

The former Indian PM claimed that the reason behind the situation in Kashmir ─ which he said was "deteriorating day in and day out" ─ was the alliance between the BJP and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) which was formed after the 2014 Indian general election. Due to the ideological differences between both parties, the "two wings of administration" were working against each other.

The PDP, as opposed to its ruling ally, emphasises holding dialogue with separatists to reach a solution to the growing unrest in the region. The BJP, however, advocates use of force to suppress negative sentiment against the Indian government.

"Our borders are not secure," Singh said. "Cross-border terrorism, internal terrorism, internal insurgency; they are today issues which are a source of great worry to all our citizens as the Modi government has not found a way of tackling this problem."

Explore: A new age of militancy in held Kashmir

Ceasefire violations across the Line of Control and the Working Boundary have also increased under the Modi administration. Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told the Senate that the Indian army had violated the ceasefire agreement 170 times in January alone.

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