PUNE, 18 September — The members of the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, attempted to blacken the face of this years Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey and demanded he apologize to the nation and withdraw his reported statements on Kashmir dispute and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
About 20 activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha barged into the venue at Apte Road, where Pandey was to deliver a lecture on "Communalism and India's Nuclear Policy.” The volunteers disrupted the public meeting and blackened the face of Sanjay Sangwal, an activist of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) mistaking him for Pandey.
The activists demanded an apology from Pandey for the statements he made in Aurangabad in Maharasthra state recently.
However, an unmoved Pandey reiterated his earlier stand on both the issues.
Pandey had reportedly said that India should either give freedom to Kashmiris or hand over Kashmir to Pakistan. He also alleged that Indian intelligence agency RAW was responsible for disruptive activities in Pakistan.
Said Pandey "Kashmiris should be given the right to self determination. Kashmir is a political issue. On the current stand-off between India and Pakistan and the insurgency problems in the northeastern states, Pandey said that governments have been trying to find military solutions to political disputes. The need of the hour is to have a dialogue with Kashmiris and other separatists." he added.
After the Godhra train burning and Gujarat communal riots, Pandey alleged that the RSS was pursuing its Hindu revivalist agenda and was confident of implementing it.
