New Delhi, June 22 : The BJP on Friday attacked senior Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for his remarks about "the Indian Army killing more civilians rather than terrorists" in the state, and demanded action against him.

The party said that Azad's statement was "irresponsible, shameful and deeply regrettable" and asked the Congress leadership to clarify "what action they are planning against Azad".

The BJP said it was shocked that such a statement should come from a person who has been the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and has witnessed the "brutal face of the terrorism in the state from Pakistan side".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi and "blessed" by Sonia Gandhi is at present making observations "in sync with the terrorists and their patrons".

Addressing a presser here, BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "Given the senior Congress leaders' pathological hatred towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, they have stooped to this extent where they are seeking to compromise the courage and respect of the armed forces."

"I am asking this (action) because Congress' Azad who has said that the forces are killing the locals more in Jammu and Kashmir."

Prasad said: "This statement of Azad is irresponsible, shameful and deeply regrettable. Today the people who support and vouch for Pakistan would be more happier."

After Azad's remarks, the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit issued a statement saying "we have been of the same opinion as the ones expressed by Ghulam Nabi Azad and others".

"Today what the Congress leaders are saying is being supported by the LeT. What kind of politics is this? Congress is standing with those who are trying to break the country," he said.

Prasad said the BJP "takes responsibility" as it charged the Congress for their "anti-national" stand. "That the Congress of today led by Rahul Gandhi and blessed by Soniaji is designed to make observations and behaviour in sync with the terrorists and their patrons," he said.

Prasad said: "What does he mean to say? What is he indicating?"

He reminded the Congress leader that while all live for the country, only the police, paramilitary and armed forces die for the country.

Giving the statistics of the terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir by the armed forces between 2012 and 2018, Prasad said that in 2012, 72 terrorists were killed in the state while in 2013, 67 terrorists were killed.

"In 2014, when our government came 110 terrorists were killed, in 2015 over 108 terrorists were killed, in 2016, 150 terrorists were killed, in 2017, over 217 and till May this year over 75 terrorists have been killed in the state."

"Azadji this is the story of your government and this is the story of our government. And you are saying that forces are killing locals more than the terrorists."

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New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in its true spirit and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with the quota for women in place.

In a letter to the floor leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ahead of the three-day special sittings of Parliament, Modi also asked all members to come together in one voice to pass the amendments to the women's reservation law, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

"After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country.

"It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said in his letter dated April 11.

The Budget Session of Parliament has been extended, and a special three-day sitting of the House has been convened on April 16 to 18.

The Women's Reservation Act will ensure an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 will be reserved for women.

The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023.

However, the women's quota would have come into effect only after the completion of the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2027 Census. This meant the reservation would not have become enforceable before 2034 if the present law remains as is.

To implement it from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, changes were needed in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; hence, the government is holding a special session to pass the amendments to the law.