Srinagar
Senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz on Friday said the decision to kill popular Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was not one he would have chosen, saying it would have been better to have had a dialogue with him, Indian Express reported.
“Mere bas mein hota toh Burhan Wani ko zinda rakhta aur unse dialogue karta (If it were up to me, Burhan Wani would have been kept alive and a dialogue would have taken place), Soz said.
Burhan Wani’s killing resulted in mass uprising in Valley that continued for months leading to the death of nearly 100 protesters with many being severely injured.
In July that year, Soz had suggested that the government withdraw the ‘draconian’ AFSPA law from the Valley and initiate a dialogue.
The BJP, reacting to Soz’s remarks, said terrorists should always be treated as terrorists. “The government has to ensure peace, it is our aim to destroy them (terrorists),” MoS Home Hansraj Ahir said. Jammu Kashmir Deputy CM Nirmal Singh asked: “people who call terrorists leaders, do they want to glorify them? Terrorists will always be treated like terrorists.
