Sayeed's comments tantamount to treason: Shiv Sena

The recent comments by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Pakistan and hanged terrorist Afzal Guru are tantamount to "treason" and "contempt of Supreme Court", the Shiv Sena said here on Saturday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this month allied with the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Right after the swearing-in ceremony at which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, Sayeed credited Pakistan and Pakistani-supported terrorists for allowing the peaceful elections in Jammu and Kashmir," it said.

A day later, Sayeed and his PDP also demanded handing over of the remnants of hanged terrorist Afzal Guru - who was guilty of the attack on Indian parliament - to the state.

The Shiv Sena pointed out that the credit for successful elections vests with the Election Commission, the people who queued up braving terror threats, and the Indian armed forces which fights terrorists 24x7.

"However, by crediting Pakistan and terrorists, Sayeed has insulted all of them (ECI, people and armed forces), and by demanding remnants of Afzal Guru, he has crossed all limits of treason," Shiv Sena said in a stinging edit in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Saturday.

"After all, Afzal Guru was a criminal, and sympathizing with him tantamounts to a contempt of Supreme Court and a bonfire of Indian laws. If Sayeed continues in this vein, the country will have to pay a heavy price," it warned, adding that even the BJP would have to suffer for allying with PDP in governing the border state.

lashing out at Sayeed, the Sena said those who know the Sayeed family and their PDP would never have done (allied) with it, nor was Sayeed ever regarded as a patriotic Indian.

"The BJP's courage and stubbornness (to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir) is astounding...," it said.

Conceding that at times tough decisions have to be taken in the national interest and this could be one such occasion, the edit said Sayeed's utterances have proved he is a "gidhad ki aulaad" (eagle's newborn).

Even the RSS' trusted man and now BJP general secretary, Ram Madhav, who was engaged in the government formation talks, had no response to Sayeed's statements, though Modi unequivocally declared in parliament that the government was not in agreement with Sayeed's views.

Accusing Sayeed of never missing an opportunity to demand an independent Kashmir and even taking a pro-Pakistan stance, the Shiv Sena said he also supported Pakistan when it proclaimed terrorists as "freedom-fighters", and some such elements had won elections through the PDP.

It recalled how as India's home minister in the government of the late Prime Minister V.P. Singh, Sayeed's daughter Rubaiya Sayeed had been kidnapped and released only in exchange for two Pakistani terrorists.

"later, it came out that the kidnap drama was carried out with Sayeed's knowledge and all concerned, including the BJP, had publicly criticized it then," the edit said.

Reiterating the party's stance for abrogation of Article 370 governing Jammu and Kashmir, the Sena said that the late Syama Prasad Mookerjee had fought to the state and even sacrificed his life there.

"If at all, Mookerjee deserves to be honoured with a memorial in Srinagar's lal Chowk...," the edit said.

It also called upon the government to live upto the people's faith on its assurances on Jammu and Kashmir.