Sushilkumar Shinde, former Home Minister of India, revealed during the launch of his memoir 'Five Decades of Politics' that he often felt scared while visiting Jammu and Kashmir during his tenure. He recounted how he was advised by educationalist Vijay Dhar to visit prominent locations like Lal Chowk and Dal Lake, which earned him favorable publicity, despite his underlying fear. Shinde's comments have sparked political controversy, particularly with the BJP leveraging them to criticize the Congress-led UPA government for allegedly failing to address the security issues in the region. His remarks coincide with ongoing elections in Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP claims that the abrogation of Article 370 has restored peace. The BJP has highlighted Shinde's admission as indicative of the realities faced during Congress rule in the region. Shinde's candidness has prompted a flurry of political debate and reactions from various parties.