It was a long debate on Kashmir–longest ever as both Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Home Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised–with clearly an agreement between all political parties to make their points without acrimony or confrontation.
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Union Home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday announced that his government will hold an All Party Meeting on August 12, to deliberate on the prevailing situation of Kashmir. It will be attended by the Prime Minister.
Escalating his attack on the Prime Minister, Azad said he tweets about everything, but not Kashmir.
“If there is dialogue with Pakistan, it won’t be on Kashmir, it will be on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir”, he said to much applause.
“No power can snatch away Kashmir Valley from us”, Singh said.
Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar also hit out at the Modi-led government for blaming Pakistan for the problems in Kashmir.
It added that the House “conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation”.
The House “earnestly appeals to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir, to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and unanimously resolves to restore the confidence among the people in general and youth in particular”, it said. He also maintained that it was incorrect to say that all of the Valley was under curfew at any point in time, that curfew was intermittent, and often businesses were closed out of fear.
“State government is trying its best to provide basic facilities amidst unrest situation created by some vested interest and misguided elements”. Initiating the debate on Kashmir, Azad said: “The Prime Minister is so close, yet so far”. He comes to the complex everyday at 10 am.
On the unanimous demand to stop the use of pellet guns, Singh said that an experts committee had been appointed to explore other non lethal options to control violence and this would submit its report within two months.
Alleging Pakistan for fermenting problem in the Valley, he said, “There is no doubt and we have been getting proofs also that Pakistan has been indulging in a conspiracy in Kashmir”. The condition in Jammu and Kashmir is very bad.
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“The region has 55 percent of population in the state. Kashmiri people are not for guns, they are for this country”, Laway said. “People in Kashmir are following separatist dictates”, he said.
