Mumbai, Sep 17 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim about terrorism being on its last legs in Jammu and Kashmir, and stated that the people of the Union Territory can distinguish between "claims and reality." An editorial in the party mouthpiece `Saamana' noted that while 41 terrorists were killed in the last one year, 20 security personnel and 18 civilians also lost their lives.
In the last 75 days, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 13 terror attacks in which 14 security personnel died, while seven terrorists were killed, it noted.
"On what basis does Modi say that terrorism is breathing its last? If terror incidents have decreased, what is the need to deploy additional thousands of security personnel ahead of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir?" the newspaper asked, referring to the PM's recent campaign speech in Doda.
No one can compete with Modi in "creating a rosy picture and hoodwinking people", but the "bitter truth" was that as the campaigning progressed, incidents of terror rose, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party alleged.
"Even if prime minister Modi and home minister Amit Shah do not accept this, the people of Kashmir can very well differentiate between claims and reality," it added.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases, starting Wednesday. PTI PR KRK