New Delhi: Refuting the Opposition's allegation that BJP too has to share the responsibility for the failure to prevent the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 as it supported the then V Singh-led government at the Centre, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on Congress in Rajya Sabha. She said that killings by terrorists were carried out in Kashmir before 1990 when the coalition government of the National Conference and Congress was in power in Jammu and Kashmir. She also referred to Governor Jagmohan's warning regarding terror activities overwhelming Kashmir.
"I just want to put the facts on record. The National Conference government with the support of the Indian National Congress was in power in J&K from November 1986 to January 18, 1990. After the resignation of the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah....20th January 1990 is when the Governor Jagmohan reaches Srinagar," said Sitharaman. "But what happened in 1989 when this (Farooq Abdullah) government was still in place, November 1986 onwards till 18 January 1990. I will take just the example of 1989 when that government of National Conference and Indian National Congress was still there," she added.
Listing out "seven major events" or incidents of terrorists killing Hindus in 1989 along with the numbers of related FIRS, she said, "Is it not true that even Jagmohan Ji, in his first phase of being Governor, when was asked to leave in July 1989, didn't he warn authorities at that time itself that the dark clouds of terrorists are really overpowering J&K, and necessary steps have to be taken by the state government."
