As Kashmir Valley continued to be paralysed under curfew and shutdown for the 43rd day, the government on Saturday appealed to the people of the Valley to shun the path of confrontation and join the path of progress. “This is a grave, heart-rending tragedy”. We are having curfew for the last 43 days.
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“The failure of the Central government to acknowledge that the issue in Kashmir is largely of a political nature has worsened the already volatile situation”, Mr. Abdullah told newsmen after an hour-long meeting with Mukherjee.
“The unchecked use of lethal force against civilians has maimed and blinded hundreds of young boys and girls”. “The use of such weapons, particularly pellet guns, continues unabated as repeated appeals to ban their use have yielded no results”, the opposition’s submission went on to say.
The seven-member delegation, which also included CPM MLA from the state M Y Tarigami, had a thorough discussion with Yechury, who was flanked by Politburo members Prakash Karat and M A Baby.
Earlier, Omar led a MLAs’ delegation and apprised the President of the situation prevailing in the Valley. The delegation also submitted a memorandum to the President.”Pakistan has been trying to destabilise peace in the Valley for the last 25 years”.
Backing National Conference (NC) chief Omar Abdullah, Congress said it would be wrong to consider the Kashmir unrest a matter of “law and order”.
Jaitley, who reached Jammu today to address Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tiranga Yatra, used the opportunity to hit out at the neighbouring country for their stand on terrorism and infiltration activities and said, “Pakistan doesn’t consider Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India”.
He compared the present crisis and the situation in 2010 violence during his tenure. “But then the nation emerged from that as well”, the Finance Minister said.
Further stating that it was ridiculous to blame Pakistan completely for the Kashmir unrest, he added that Islamabad was partially responsible in fanning the flames, but they were not exclusively to blame. “It is a political problem”.
Asking everyone involved to look at ways to de-escalate the situation rather than provoking it further, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda said while security forces have been directed to exercise maximum restraint, the other side also needs to see that security forces, police stations and bases of security forces are not attacked.
Accusing the BJP-PDP coalition of inaction, Abdullah also said that it is the first time in history that initiatives that should have been taken up by the government, are being taken by opposition parties.
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“He said the Centre” s unfortunate refusal to handle the situation politically may create long-term complications in peace and stability in the Himalayan state as the violence confined to the valley has already spread to Peer Panjal, Kargil and Chenab valley in Jammu.
