PM Narendra Modi will go ahead with visit to Valley as scheduled: BJP

A day after four terror attacks set Kashmir Valley back on its heels, BJP on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go ahead with his election rally in Srinagar as scheduled on December 8.

"Prime Minister is addressing the election rally as per schedule on December 8. There is no change in that programme," former Union minister and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters in Srinagar. He said "people of Jammu and Kashmir are waiting eagerly for the Prime Minister" who will address gatherings at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in the Valley. The BJP leader said Prime Minister invited his Pakistani counterpart to the oath taking ceremony and made it clear to him that the country is ready for dialogue but the talks cannot be held amid the sound of blasts.

Referring to the Friday's attacks which left 21 persons, including 11 security personnel and two civilians dead, he said, "Pakistan is not going to learn lessons." The BJP leader, however, said, "Modi is capable enough of answering every question of Pakistan and will treat its illness. If they are under any wrong notion, they will get the answer. "Innocent people were murdered as the people taking part in a democratic exercise were attacked," he said.

In reply to a question, he said high voter turnout is no referendum. "This is no referendum... there is no option for referendum. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. There is a resolution passed in the Parliament (in 1995)," he said.

He said BJP consider serving the people of Jammu and Kashmir as its national duty. "We are not doing any favour (to the people of Jammu and Kashmir). Prime Minister has made it clear that 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. We are not going to leave anyone (out)," he said.