The political process will begin with an all party meeting on Kashmir on the last day of Parliament, August 12, that Rajnath Singh said would be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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“No power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us”, Singh declared, while referring to the letter of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the United Nations seeking “plebiscite” in Kashmir.
“I want to tell people of Kashmir it can also have the azadi that India feels”, Modi added.
” Don’t just love Kashmir for its beauty, love Kashmir for its people, and love the children and people who lost their eyes in protests”, Azad replied to Modi’s comment during a debate in Rajya Sabha over the Kashmir turmoil, adding that the PM had never before raised the issue of intolerance against Dalits in Parliament.
Sharing the pain of the suffering Kashmiris, the Parliament yesterday unanimously appealed to people of the valley to restore peace and harmony even as the government expressed readiness to hold talks with moderate groups and others and made a decision to call an all-party meet on Friday. He also warned that the use of pro-Pakistan slogans on Indian soil would not be tolerated, and urged Kashmir’s youth not to indulge in activities like hoisting ISIS flags.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad referred to the word going round in Kashmir that the valley will be handed over to the Army after the completion of Amarnath Yatra next week. “If we talk about electricity, roads and water, and not about politics, it will be wrong”. The government has chose to hold an all-party meeting on Friday on the issue, that will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This house expresses its concern over the disturbance, violence and curfew in the Kashmir Valley”.
Attacking Pakistan for meddling in Kashmir affairs lately, Rajnath said, “No force of the world can take away Kashmir from us”.
They also demanded a parliamentary delegation to be sent to Kashmir to deliberate with all sections and an all-party meet to find a resolution. “There should be the integration of minds and hearts”, Azad said, expressing concern over the violence and continued lockdown of the valley.
Responding to demands for stopping use of pellet guns which have caused most injuries, the Home Minister said such weapons were not used for the first time but earlier also.
Singh started by painting a positive picture of measures taken by the government to ensure that food, medicines were in adequate supply despite the curfew.
In his speech, the Union home minister applauded the job done by the J&K government in a “difficult situation”.
CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury said there was a need to address the trust deficit in the valley.
“The ground work for sending an all party delegation will be done in consultation with the state government”, he added.
Though the Prime Minister and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti invoked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s model of insaniyat and jamooriyat (humanity and democracy), dialogue between Delhi and Islamabad on Kashmir has been largely of the rhetorical kind.
Meanwhile do not forget about people of Jammu while discussing problems in Kashmir where a battle is raging between nationalism and separatism, a BJP MP told Parliament on Wednesday.
Manhas said Jammu, which shares some 500 km of border with Pakistan, also had its share of problems.
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“The boys, who should be holding laptops, bats and balls in their hands and dreams in their hearts, are ones carrying stones”, he said. “His room is barely a minute and a half from the Rajya Sabha”, Azad said.
