Vijayawada: Kashmir merged with India due to efforts of Nehru

Vijayawada: Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president N Tulasi Reddy came down heavily on Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging that the BJP leader was making irresponsible statements against former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

In a statement on Monday, he said Jammu and Kashmir became integral part of India due to the foresight and the efforts of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Tulasi Reddy Amit Shah was making irresponsible statements against Nehru by commenting that Nehru was responsible for the problems in Jammu and Kashmir since Independence.

He said Jammu and Kashmir could not have been merged with India had Nehru not taken the initiative and not accepted some proposals made by former Raja Hari Singh of Kashmir.

He said Article 370 was accorded to Jammu and Kashmir after its merger into the Indian Union as a temporary measure and it could be struck down if the Government of India wished so.

He said the BJP and its former associate Jana Sangh were not born when India got independence. The Congress leader said the RSS was born in 1925 but never participated in the freedom struggle.

Tulasi Reddy asked the BJP leaders to at least now understand that Kashmir was merged with the Indian union due to the efforts put in by the first former Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru.