Uri is temporary setback in long war: Amit Shah

The BJP on Sunday sought to supplement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to address popular anger over the Uri attack, with party president Amit Shah describing it as only a “temporary setback” in a long war, while simultaneously accusing Pakistan of “war crimes”.

Shah also said the ruling party believes in “zero tolerance” to terrorism.

In another message, to separatists in Kashmir, the BJP president underlined that there will be “no dialogue with those who do not believe in the Constitution of India”.

“The situation has been grim in Jammu and Kashmir for the past couple of months. Separatists have organised an agitation in the State. I want to repeat that Kashmir is an integral part of India. We believe in dialogue and peace. But dialogue will happen only with those who work within the confines of the Indian Constitution. There will be no dialogue with those who do not believe in the Constitution of India,” he said in his address to the BJP’s national council, which met here.

To satisfy the BJP’s radical cadre, as also to assuage popular anger over Uri, Shah made a separate statement attacking Pakistan, accusing it of following terrorism as state policy. This should be treated as a war crime, he observed.

“Terrorism is a big challenge to democracies and the civilised world. It is the biggest violator of human rights. If terrorism becomes the instrument of state policy then it needs to be described as no less than a war crime. Pakistan is today openly supporting and sponsoring terrorism as a state policy. India has been a long time victim of this policy of Pakistan.

“In the last decade and half we have endured several major and minor terrorist attacks, the latest being Uri. Even the militant separatist movement in J&K is a creation of Pakistan. The speech of Nawaz Sherif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, at the UN is a testimony to the fact that Pakistan is openly advocating terrorism in the world,” he said in a separate statement which was adopted in the manner of a resolution by the BJP national council.

While the rhetoric was strong, the attempt in the BJP president’s statement was clearly to build a narrative around the Uri attack which essentially paints it as only a “temporary setback” in a “war” that “has been thrust on India and which we are committed to winning”. The characterisation of the Uri attack as a “temporary setback” was aimed at reducing it as part of an ongoing conflict.

Thus, the effort was to counter the popular narrative so far of Uri being an instance of escalation of violence and conflict from across the border. If Uri is part of an ongoing conflict as the BJP president showed on Sunday, the Centre’s response, which has mostly been diplomatic in nature so far, would be presumed to be adequate. Shah showed how the Centre has been “strong” in the long war that Pakistan has thrust on India.

“As a result of the strategic and aggressive response from the Central government, 117 terrorists have been neutralised over the past eight months.

“ The Uri attack is a result of their frustration. It is a long drawn battle thrust on us by our neighbour. Uri is only a temporary setback, the final victory will be ours,” said Shah.

COMMENT NOW