STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: PDP on Wednesday rejected the contention that the unrest in the state is because of its alliance with BJP and blamed the actions by Congress and National Conference since 1948 for the loss of trust in democracy among the people of the valley.
In a strong and emotional speech in the Lok Sabha during discussion on Kashmir situation, senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig said the Government of India should use its moral authority to resolve the problems of the state rather than using military authority.
Slamming Pakistan for its interference in Kashmir, he said people of the valley are being “misguided” and expressed faith in the Modi government, saying “if you can’t do it (resolve the problems), who can do it?”
He wondered whether Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani, whose killing in an encounter with security forces has triggered the unrest, could have been arrested instead of being gunned down.
In this context, the former Minister of Jammu and Kashmir cited examples of how some militants had earlier given up the gun and contested elections to join the mainstream.
Rejecting allegations by critics like Congress that the current unrest is due to PDP joining hands with BJP to form government, Baig said, “nobody can accuse them (BJP) of being traitors”.
Seeking to turn tables on opponents, he went back into history and clearly blamed Congress and National Conference, without naming them, for repeated controversial actions since 1948 when Praja Parishad was not allowed to contest polls.
He said Kashmiris lost faith in democracy due to actions like installing “un-elected governments” and dismissing elected governments since 1948 besides rigging elections. He said the rigging of 1987 polls, allegedly by National Conference-Congress combine, was the “deepest cut” to the faith of Kashmiris in democracy as these elections had been contested even by those who did not believe in the Indian Constitution but wanted to repose trust in the poll process.
In this regard, he gave the example of the chief of militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, whose original name is Mohd Yusuf Shah, contesting the elections which were “rigged”.
Baig said Yasin Malik, now the JKLF chief, was Shah’s polling agent and was “tortured” by police after National Conference-Congress came to power following 1987 elections. Taking objection to certain remarks of Baig against Congress, party member K C Venugopal said the message should be given that the country is united on the Kashmir issue. Referring to historical incidents, the PDP leader said a “fraud” had been played on Kashmiris by propagating that they are not pro-India and are pro-Pakistan.
Blasting Pakistan for interfering in Kashmir, Baig said the neighbouring country had become a victim of its own policies and as a result it has Balochistan “burning” and faces problems in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Appreciating efforts of the central government, Baig disapproved of criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Kashmir situation, saying he should not be dragged in each and every issue. Referring to criticism in certain quarters that Modi was playing drums during his Africa visit when Kashmir was burning, Baig said the Prime Minister was “making history (in Africa)”.
According to him, a kind of romanticism is being made about terrorism, which has become a business.
Talking about Wani’s killing, Baig wondered whether he could have been arrested. “Was it possible to arrest or inevitable to kill?… He (Wani) was not an invisible ghost or an Osama Bin Laden… At least for the sake of having a good judgement, it should be looked into whether Wani could have been arrested,” he said.
Taking objection to certain anti-Muslim remarks made by a leader whom he did not name, Baig said, “Muslims are as good an Indian as the Prime Minister… and Kashmiris are as good an Indian as Rajnath Singh.”
When Venugopal intervened, the PDP leader said, “Aap logon ne hamari awaaz dabayi hai (you people have suppressed our voice)”.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs S S Ahluwalia told Venugopal that if “we don’t allow him to speak in the tallest temple of democracy, then where is he going to speak”. He said Baig would continue to cite historical facts.
Kashmir unrest: Govt under attack in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: The Modi government and PDP-BJP dispensation of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday came under attack in the Lok Sabha over the unrest in the Valley, with opposition alleging their failure to address the situation and pressing for a political solution.
As the House took up a discussion on the ongoing trouble in Kashmir, various parties demanded sending an all-party delegation to the Valley even as Anurag Thakur, speaking on behalf of the ruling BJP, said every political party should come together and help in dealing with such situations.
Initiating the debate, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said over the last two years, since the BJP government came to power at the Centre, the situation in the Valley has “deteriorated” and has become “disappointing”.
Alleging failure on part of the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government, he said, “The work done by our government in the last 10 years was undone by this government. They see everything from the rear mirror. BJP-PDP has shunned all principles…we have to heal the wounds with humanity.” The government is claiming that it is moving in ever sector but reality is different. “This government has miserably failed to restore peace in the valley. There is an environment of insecurity and fear ….44 people have died and 3140, half of them security personnel, are wounded and this government puts the onus on the state….I would like to ask questions. How many more deaths will happen? When they will get up from sleep,” he said.
Scindia said the people of Kashmir are facing huge problems as there is curfew since the last 12 days. “What was the reason? Why no one from the central government visited Kashmir to review the situation… Infiltration is happening and our Defence Minister is distributing LED bulbs in Goa,” he said.