The government and Opposition appeared to be on the same page at the all-party meeting insofar as the need for extending a healing touch and initiating confidence-building measures with the people in
The government and Opposition appeared to be on the same page at the all-party meeting insofar as the need for extending a healing touch and initiating confidence-building measures with the people in the trouble hit Kashmir Valley were concerned. On the specifics of the immediate ban on the use of pellet guns and lifting AFSPA from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir, however, there was no consensus. The issue of sending an all-party delegation to the state was discussed at the meet, but there was no final decision on it.
The government had convened an all party meeting on Friday in the wake of turbulence in the Valley that has continued for more than a month now. On Friday, about 40 people and a dozen security personnel were injured in clashes in the central district of Budgam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while reiterating that there would be no compromise with national integrity, underscored the point that the government was ready to address “grievances” of sections of people of Jammu and Kashmir within the constitutional framework.
“We all are committed to this national sentiment that there cannot be any compromise with the country’s regional integrity. We are ready to address the grievances of all sections under the Constitution,’’ he said.
Taking an aggressive stand, Mr Modi said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was part of Jammu and Kashmir and stressed on the need to highlight the atrocities being committed by Pakistan on people in Balochistan and PoK.
During the four-hour long marathon meeting chaired by the PM, some Opposition parties, particularly the Left, suggested that the government initiate some immediate confidence building measures, like banning the use of pellet guns, talking to all stake holders, including separatists, and repealing AFSPA in some parts of the Valley.
Following the meeting finance minister Arun Jaitley said that any decision on banning pellet guns will be taken after an evaluation by the expert committee and in the interim security forces have been asked to operate with utmost restraint. The final decision, he added, for talks with Hurriyat would be finalised only after evaluating the current security scenario in the Valley.
The Centre has already announced a package of Rs 80,000 crore for development work in J&K and home minister Rajnath Singh said the government was expediting the process of releasing the funds to the state government.
Seeking what he described as “constructive support” from the Opposition parties, the PM said, “We will have to be united in this fight. I have complete confidence that with the dedication of the state government and with your total co-operation, we will soon restore normal life in Jammu and Kashmir again.”
Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said while the Congress would support the Centre’s initiatives in restoring normalcy in the Valley, they had asked the government to come out with detailed road map for this.
Left Parties said the government was non-committal on their demands for a dialogue with all stakeholders in Kashmir and stopping the use of pellet guns. “The government neither accepted not rejected our demands,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said. CPI’s national secretary D. Raja said, “On AFSPA, of course, on behalf of the government it has been said that at this point of time, lowering the security level will not be the right thing to do.”
Earlier in the day, before adjourning the Monsoon session sine die, the Lok Sabha unanimously passed a resolution, appealing for urgent steps to restore order and peace in the Valley while asserting that there can be no compromise with the country’s integrity and security.
In the resolution read out by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the House appealed to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir to restore confidence among the people in general and youth in particular.
The House “conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation,” it said.
