Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday criticized the ruling Congress Party for not being able to curb unrest during their regime, and said that the Kishtwar violence should be looked upon as a challenge to the country’s sovereignty, rather than a result of communal tensions. “I think everyone is aware that most of the riots have occurred under Congress’ governance,” Singh said.

“As far as the Kishtwar incident goes, I believe that it should not be taken as a conflict between two communities, but rather as a challenge to India’s sovereignty. The state government and the central government should take on the issue in that way,” Singh added. Rajnath Singh’s comment echoed Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Arun Jaitley’s statement in Parliament on Monday, wherein he accused the Jammu and Kashmir Government of imposing censorship in the affected areas. “The issue relates to India''s sovereignty and integrity. This country is still struggling to see how people of one section are selectively targeted,” Jaitley said on Monday.