The Kashmir Valley has been engulfed by violent unrest since the July 8 killing of a rebel commander, leaving over 55 people dead and thousands injured.
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Speaking in the Upper House, the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “I appreciate PM Modi’s statement on Kashmir and his appeal to Kashmiri youth for shunning the path of violence”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated his willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of the “Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat”.
“The freedom that every Indian has also belongs to every Kashmiri”.
Modi claimed that “stones are being handed” to “innocent children, youths who should be holding laptops, volleyballs, cricket bats, books. who ought to be playing in parks, carrying dreams”. He said “this will help the politics of some” but anxious about the effect this tactic will have on “innocent children”.
“We did not hear Prime Minister’s statement on Dalit issues here in the Parliament”. But the crisis of governance in the valley is such that sweeping statements and promises are not going to be of much help.
Another newspaper that rising readership over the past month, Kashmir Reader said “Narendra Modi speaks on Kashmir, offers little” in the headline. Armed with stones, they have attacked security forces in daily clashes, who have retaliated with pellet guns, rendering almost 100 people blind and leaving many others injured.
Even the Supreme Court, during a hearing of a case, expressed concern over the festering discontent and mayhem in Kashmir.
In December 2009, Justice Saghir Ahmad’s Working Group on the Centre-State Relationship had stated that the issue of Article 370 should be settled once and for all, and the demand of autonomy for the state should be examined in light of the Kashmir Accord. “A few misled people are harming this great tradition”, he said.
Hurriyat (G) chairman reminded the fanatic and fascist people of BJP that history is witness to the fact that no power on earth, no matter how cruel and barbaric that be has ever succeeded in curbing the freedom sentiments and who else more than you know it better.
His government wants to take Kashmir to new heights of development, empower its panchayats and give job opportunities to its youths, he said.
When the house began discussing the situation, Modi was not present.
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Dr Farooq Abdullah said that while it was heartening to see that certain central leaders in New Delhi were now talking about the political nature of the problem, it was a pity that the same leaders chose not to lend their voice of support when the Interlocutors’ Report and the Sagheer Committee Report were available.
