Lok Sabha debates ’serious’ Kashmir issue (Roundup)
By IANSThursday, August 26, 2010
NEW DELHI - The government Thursday drew flak for its alleged failure to contain the latest Kashmir unrest with MPs in the Lok Sabha expressing concern over the “serious” and “sensitive” state of affairs in the troubled state.
Fifteen MPs took part in a special debate that remained inconclusive even as much of the day - from 12 noon to 6 p.m. - was dedicated to it. The discussion will be concluded Friday when Home Minister P. Chidambaram replies in the lower house.
Murli Manohar Joshi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the government for what he termed its failure to handle the unrest in the Kashmir Valley that has seen 64 people dead since June 11. He asked Home Minister P. Chidambaram to tell Kashmiris unambiguously that their demand of “azadi (freedom) or autonomy is not viable”.
“Kashmir is an integral part of India and no force in the world will take it away from India,” Joshi said, starting his speech with a flourish as his party colleagues thumped their desks.
“You say there are genuine grievances. I ask what they are? Is India sending forces there… are we occupying Kashmir? What are the grievances? I don’t see any grievances other than the demand of azadi… If that is what you call genuine grievance, then please tell them clearly that azadi or autonomy is not possible, is not viable,” he said.
This triggered an uproar in the house with National Conference MPs Sharifuddin Shariq and Mehboob Beg objecting to Joshi’s remarks.
It took Speaker Meira Kumar some time to convince the National Conference MPs to go back to their seats as she repeatedly kept saying that the house was discussing a “serious” and “sensitive” issue.
Joshi said: “Show some courage and tell them that Kashmir is an integral part of India and there can be no compromise on that.” The BJP leader advocated abrogation of Article 370 that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah pitched hard for autonomy to solve the Kashmir issue. He also stressed that it was time to tell Pakistan “in one voice” that it should return to India parts of Kashmir under its control and the area it has gifted to China.
Abdullah, who heads the state’s ruling National Conference party, said: “Kashmir has not acceded to India by force… It chose to become a part of India belonging to Gandhi and Nehru,” he recalled.
“Most Kashmiris”, he said, “want to find a solution to the problems within India. We want to find a solution to the problem within India, not in Pakistan, China or in America.”
He said autonomy was the only solution to the issue and said those in Kashmir demanding independence had not realised the consequences of it.
“Kashmir too faces a threat from Taliban elements and a situation similar to Afghanistan and Pakistan will arise in the state too (if independence is granted). We have three nuclear powers surrounding us. Can we be safe in that surrounding if Kashmir is to be given azadi,” Abdullah said.
His party colleague Mirza Mehboob Beg said no power can permanently integrate Jammu and Kashmir with India till the politicians in Delhi accept that the Kashmir issue is political in nature.
Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta asked the government to take political and economic initiatives to address the alienation of the Kashmiris.
“It is disturbing to learn that 50-60 people are dead and 1,800 people have sustained injuries (in the last two months of unrest),” Dasgupta said.
He said the government needed to take note of “an element of anguish” among Kashmiris.
“There is an element of deep feeling of sorrow… There is a sense of alienation among the large number of people in Kashmir.”
