Read Before Criticising, Chidambaram Tells PM Modi as Kashmir Autonomy Debate Heats Up

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for critcising his remarks on autonomy for Kashmir without even reading his comments.

“The Prime Minister is imagining a ghost and attacking it,” said the former home minister in his rebuttal after Modi accused the Congress of speaking the language of Kashmiri separatists and elements in Pakistan.

“It is obvious the Prime Minister has not read the whole answer to the question put to me on Jammu and Kashmir… those who criticise must read the whole answer and tell me, which word in the answer was wrong," Chidambaram said in a statement.

Although the Congress has distanced itself from the remarks, Chidambaram stood firm and said the demand in Kashmir Valley is to respect in letter and spirit Article 370.

“That means that they want greater autonomy. My interactions in Jammu and Kashmir led me to the conclusion that when they ask for azadi (independence), most people - I am not saying all - (an) overwhelming majority want autonomy. Therefore, I think we should seriously examine that question and consider on what areas we can give autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir,” Chidambaram said.

Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have sharply criticized the former home minister, saying that he has insulted soldiers who laid down their lives in defending India's territorial integrity.

“Why are Congress leaders lending their voice to those who want Azadi in Kashmir? Congress will have to answer for the recent statement of their leaders on Kashmir. The statement was unacceptable," Modi said at a rally in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said that instead of learning from past mistakes, the party wants to “precipitate a crisis for this country.”

“The position that the Congress has taken with regard to azaadi or autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir goes directly contrary to India's national interest. I think the Congress is deceiving the whole country, it is deceiving itself and it is encouraging separatism in J&K. It is hurting India's national interest and this is a very serious issue,” he said.