The Congress on Wednesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in the Lok Sabha over the situation in the Kashmir Valley where a month of unrest has left over 55 people dead.
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Giving details of the injuries caused during the unrest that started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, he said 100 were still hospitalised, 51 with eye injuries, while 2564 have been discharged.
More than 60 civilians have been killed in clashes between protesters and occupation forces and thousands more injured in the worst violence to hit the restive Himalayan region since 2010.
He said even during the 1965 war, when Indian army had reached the doorstep of Lahore, or during the 1971 war when thousands of Pakistani troops surrendered, “we could not ensure a situation where the neighbouring country would no longer foment trouble”.
“Earlier PMs would rush to the House if there was a pressing discussion on any issue, but this Prime Minister has not attended”, Azad said, according to The Indian Express.
Modi was speaking at a rally in the state of Madhya Pradesh to mark the birth anniversary of Indian freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad on Tuesday, 9 August.
Dr Karan Singh, former prince of J&K, asked the government to “bite the bullet” and try find a resolution to complex J&K issue on the basis of principles of annexation in which only defence, communication and foreign affairs were ceded to the Government of India. “Is there no value of the parliament?” Modi added. numerous young men who came out onto the streets in the wake of the young freedom fighter’s death threw stones at security forces, an increasingly common form of protest in the area.
Swapan Dasgupta, a nominated member allied to the BJP, said he agreed with the view that a political approach was required. Be it the Jammu and Kashmir government under Mehboobaji or the central government, we are finding solutions to all problems through development.
Addressing concerns on the use of pellet guns to deal with agitating mobs, the minister told the House that security forces had been advised to use maximum restraint while using force.
“There is murder of humanity and democracy in Kashmir”.
“Some want destruction over development in Kashmir”, Modi said. He suggested that the government should raise the issue of Pakiatan Occupied Kashmir at all global fora to seek its control.
The Rajya Sabha also passed an unanimous resolution, expressing sympathies over deaths in Kashmir, vows to instill faith among people of the Valley.
Mr. Ramgopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party called for sending a strong message to Pakistan not to meddle in Kashmir.
He also said that slogans such as “Pakistan zindabad” will not be tolerated on Indian soil. I agree, but let us not forget that 50% of the original state of Jammu and Kashmir is not under our control. “Now peace and freedom loving people in India also suggest you to come down to ground zero and face the reality”.
PM Modi yesterday reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of “insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat”. He said a nation moved forward on the strength of its people, their aspirations, and their hard work. “Aisa toh hum soch hi nahi sakte [we can’t even think of something like that]”, Singh said. More than 7 lakh youth are unemployed.
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The Prime Minister further said the Centre as well as the BJP-PDP coalition government under Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is making all efforts to solve the problems of Kashmir through development. “There is a difference between nationalism and separatism”, he said.
