Kamath asks BJP to drop plan to hoist tricolour at Lal Chowk

Claiming that the opposition party was only trying to take political mileage out of 'Ekta Yatra', Kamath asked the BJP not to do "politics" over Jammu and Kashmir. "BJP's move will only disturb peace and harmony and harm country's unity and integrity," he told reporters after taking charge at his new office in the Home Ministry.

Kamath was escorted to his new office by his senior Ministerial colleague P Chidambaram. The BJP's Rashtriya Ekta Yatra from Kolkata will culminate in Srinagar on January 26 with hoisting of the tricolour at Lal Chowk. Several organisations and persons, including Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, have asked BJP not to go ahead with the programme.

Kamath said he would soon visit all Maoist-hit areas to get an on-the-spot assessment of the situation there. He said the Maoist problem could be handled only through the two-pronged strategy of development and police action. Asked about the alleged involvement of some right wing organisations and activists in terror acts, he said the investigating agencies were conducting the probe and a final opinion could be made only after getting the reports.

"It is not a happy situation. Anyone taking the road of extremism only hampers the economic progress and development of the country," he said.