Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 3: Amidst strong protest by the Opposition National Conference and Congress members in the Upper House today, the Chairman Anayat Ali admitted the adjournment motion, seeking discussion on the innocent killings in Kashmir while the highly controversial remarks of NC member that ‘Kashmiri youth have picked up guns and they will continue to do so in future and HM Commander Burhan Wani is a martyr’, created furore in the House today.
Immediately after the Chairman entered the Upper House and commenced the proceedings with the ‘Question Hour’, the National Conference and Congress members stood up and demanded that house should be adjourned and discussion be fixed on the issue of innocent killings in Kashmir during recent unrest and injuries caused to hundreds of people with pellet guns. The Chairman Anayat Ali tried to convince the members and maintained that he will provide opportunity for discussion after the ‘Question Hour’. But the NC and Congress members were not prepared for it. They insisted on adjournment of the House and hold discussion.
As the Chairman wanted to go ahead with the questions, the NC and Congress members moved to the well of the House and started protest demonstration with slogans ‘Qatil Sarkar Hai Hai…… BJP-PDP Sarkar Hai Hai’. They termed the PDP-BJP as the killers of the Kashmiri youth during Kashmir unrest.
The Chairman took up three questions during this period but nothing was clearly audible in the House. Both sides raised allegations and counter allegations and had heated exchanges but nothing was clearly heard in the din. Then some PDP members pleaded to the Chairman that a discussion be held on the subject and let the truth made known by everybody as NC people will be exposed for fueling the fire during Kashmir unrest and provoking Kashmiri youth. The chairman then admitted the adjournment motion of GN Monga, allowing discussion on the subject. The time limit was however, increased from one hour.
NC members Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and Showkat Ganai fired salvo on the ruling PDP-BJP Government and held it responsible for the killings of about 100 innocent youth of Kashmir and injuries to hundreds of others. They said many innocents turned blind due to use of pallet guns. Unfortunately, the leaders of that party who used to claim that ‘Baat Banegi Boli Se’ and not with the bullet, used bullets on the innocent civilians and resulted into their deaths in Kashmir.
They said that Government has not reply on the innocent killings and has bitterly failed to perform its duty. They also alleged that the PDP cheated the people of Kashmir during 2014 and BJP misled the people of Jammu. The Kashmir unrest is the outcome of the PDP’s misdeeds and public anger.
They condemned the remarks of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who had said that whether the Kashmir youth had gone to the army camp to get toffee or milk. They alleged that instead of consoling the bereaved families, she made fun of the people of Kashmir by saying so.
The PDP members Firdous Tak and Sunder Choudhary strongly reacted when the NC member Showkat Ganai in his highly controversial remarks while launching attack on the role of PDP, claimed that ‘angry Kashmiri youth had picked up gun for a reason and they will continue to do it in future’.
Not only this, the NC legislator went ahead a step ahead by saying that Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani is a martyr. When PDP members objected to it, Showkat claimed that he stands by his words and he considers that Burhan is a ‘Shaheed’ and similar is the view of the people from this State.
Both the PDP members strongly objected to these remarks and said that Burhan was a militant and HM commander. This fact is known to everyone and terming him Shaheed by a member of this House is not fair. They should maintain the sanctity of this house. They sought intervention of the chair.
Unfortunately, no member from the BJP sitting in the House raised voice against the highly objectionable words of NC member. The representatives of the Jammu people remained unmoved. Only Ashok Khajuria showed a little response to their utterances. Tak also termed the slogans raised by NC members in the House on Monday as anti-national and said that these slogans were on the tongue of every child and youth in Kashmir during Kashmir unrest. It is unfortunate that these slogans were raised by NC members in the House on Monday. He demanded action against these members. Some members from NC however, claimed that it was not so.
PDP member Zafar Iqbal Manhas launched scathing attack on the NC members and said that it was the PDP and NC which created Kashmir problem. He referred to the role of Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah during partition and said that people should not forget the rigging of polls in Kashmir and creation of Sayed Salauddin.
This Kashmir unrest is the outcome of the happenings in Kashmir for the last 66 years. Who flared the fire in 1953, the people sitting on the other side have perhaps forgotten ? Whether Omar was not minister in BJP Govt ? Whether NC has not framed Govt in alliance with BJP? There are some questions which need self introspection,” Manhas asked.
BJP member Vibodh Gupta also ‘trained gun’ on the Opposition and alleged that they provoked people in Kashmir and added fuel to the fire during Kashmir agitation. They are totally exposed before the people. Gupta said temples were damaged in Valley. He also referred to the role Sheikh Abdullah in 1953, killings of KPs in Kashmir and asked they talk of which secularism.
Several other members Qaiser Lone, Jugal Kishore, Saifuddin Bhat, Ramesh Arora, Surinder Ambardar, Naresh Gupta, Yasir Reshi, Ashok Khajuria, Ali Mohd Dar, Firdous Tak and Ghulam Nabi Monga participated in the discussion. During several occasions, both the members had heated exchanges and the spree of raising allegations and counter allegation continued throughout the discussion.
Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar, who is also Leader of the House, stood up to give reply on behalf of Govt but the Opposition members raised protest and said that Chief Minister who is in-charge Home Affairs should reply. The chairman said that since CM was not there in the House and she did not listened to the debate and members should not raise unjustified demand. This again resulted into verbal clash between the members of opposition and treasury benches. After arguments and disruptions of nearly ten minutes then members agreed to listen.
Naeem Akhtar described that history of this State is full of blood stains. He said whatever was happened in Kashmir should not have occurred either during 2010 or 2016. “Those lost their lives were our own children. Not only Govt but we all as society have paid a heavy price for it. I feel ashamed for it because I was also unfortunately part of this political system. We can not stay away from our responsibility, “ Akhtar said.
The PDP Minister said that Kashmir issue is our own and only we the people of this State can settle it. “ Pakistan and USA have nothing to do with it. Only sincere and honest will on the part of all the political groups here is needed. We can not afford more blood sheds and making refugee everybody here. Many people of Kashmir became refugee during unrest in Valley. Not only KPs or those from PoK are refugees here, many other people from border belt and those from Doda also turned refugees. There are many issues which need solutions, “ he added.
He said some people speak truth but not the full truth. They should speak truth by putting hand on their heart. Every body know about the realty.
Referring to Showkat Ganai’s remarks, Naeem said Burhan may be hero or martyr for them but not for others. “ We should accept the truth. There should not be double standards. He said Working groups were created and thereafter their party remained in power for 9 years, what happened to that.”
On the statement of one of the members that people were apprehending the situation to turn bad after the month of Ramazan, Naeem said there were a series of events that were being used to target the Government, including the issues of Pandit and Sainik colonies, industrial policy etc. He said despite repeated clarifications on part of the Government, inimical forces tried every trick to instigate people against the Government. It was however the encounter on July 8 in which Burhan Wani was killed that provided such elements an opportunity to provoke the people into taking law into their own hands, which unfortunately resulted in casualties and injuries to large number of people.
He said that the state has been a victim of politics that has resulted from various accords and power-sharing arrangements. He said that Agenda of Alliance is a roadmap to solution to such issues and the people of Jammu and Kashmir should send a message of peace, reconciliation and stop the blame game.
In his concluding remarks he felt sorry for what happened in Kashmir last year and said that all the political parties in J&K should support Prime Minister Modi because he has emerged as strong leader in the country and the world. He has great vision for this country and the people have high hopes from him.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
