Kashmir attacks: People will give befitting reply by voting in polls, says BJP

Srinagar: Accusing Pakistan of orchestrating “cowardly attacks” in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP on Saturday said the people of the state would give a befitting response by taking part in the democratic exercise and surpassing the turnout recorded in the first two phases of the Assembly elections. “Yesterday’s violence was an attack on the Indian democracy and demonstrate frustration due to heavy turnout of voters (in the first two phases)… the people of Jammu and Kashmir will respond the bullets with ballots and will foil the nefarious designs of Pakistan and those who are working at its behest,” former Union minister and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here. [caption id=“attachment_1837509” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] Militants struck at four places in the Valley yesterday including an army camp in border town of Uri which left 11 security personnel and eight militants dead. Two civilians were killed and 10 others were injured in one of the grenade explosions at Tral in Pulwama district. The BJP leader said the “cowardly attacks” were carried out as Pakistan and those working at its behest were “frustrated” after witnessing heavy turnout in the first two phases of the Assembly polls as they felt the elections would strengthen the link between the state and the country. Hussain, who was here to campaign for the party ahead of the third phase of Assembly polls, said he visited Tral township to convey a message that BJP would not be “cowed down” by such attacks. “We are not going to be demoralised (by such acts),” he said reiterating that his party will form the next government in both Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand. “The BJP will form the next government and address the injustice meted out by National Conference, Congress and PDP governments in the past,” he said. PTI