In a statement, Chidambaram said he was deeply concerned over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is “sliding into total chaos”.

“The PDP-BJP government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks,” he said in a statement. The former Home and Finance Minister in the UPA government said the statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have fuelled the crisis.

“Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation. The loss of lives – of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces – has devastated all of us. This must stop,” he said. Chidambaram stated he was afraid the way out of the crisis cannot be found by the present government.

Read more: Protests intensify as death toll rises to over 80 in held Kashmir

More civilians lost their lives on Tuesday at the hand of Indian security forces, putting the death toll to more than 80 during 40 days of fatal clashes in the held Kashmir.

Kashmir marked the Indian national day as a ‘black day’ since, for the last 68 years, the valley has been torn by conflict in which thousands of civilians including men, women and young have been tortured, harassed and killed.