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Assembly: List civilians killed by forces in obituary references, Congress dares Speaker

FPK Photo/Vikar Syed

Srinagar: The Indian National Congress (INC) on Saturday dared speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to include the names of all civilian Kashmiris in the obituary references killed by men in uniform.

Speaking during the obituary references time, J&K Congress’ G M Saroori charged Mehbooba Mufti led PDP-BJP government of deteriorating the situation in J&K.

“It is because of your impure footprints that situation has turned so violent in J&K,” Saroori told the house addressing the treasury benches.

Referring to the bloodshed in Kashmir, Saroori said, “this government is following Israel and killing our people.”

Reminding Mehbooba Mufti mourning the deaths of civilians and militants while leading delegations across Kashmir in early 2000, Saroori said, “today, under your government, same Kashmiris are being killed. You are not even allowing us to mourn the deaths of our sons and daughters.”

Saroori told the house that J&K state witnessed improved situation under Mufti Muhammad Sayeed in his first stint as Chief Minister from 2003.

“Where has the ideology of Atal Ji, Mufti Sahab gone,” he asked the Chief Minister who is sitting in her sitting listening to the proceedings silently. He referred to PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former CM Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Questioning the NDA led union government as how the situation in Kashmir would improve, Saroori charged Mehbooba Mufti of surrendering all powers to New Delhi.

“You have no right to sit in this chair,” he said addressing the chief minister. “Blood is flowing through the streets of Kashmir.”

Holding responsible the NDA and state governments for Kashmir situation, Saroori told the house that the government in Jammu and Kashmir is being “run by Rajnath Singh and Gen Bipin Rawat”.

Singh is India’s Home Minister while as Gen Rawat is chief of Indian army.

“You have closed all the ways of dialogue,” he said addressing CM Mufti. “Where are we heading? Have you thought about it? People are being killed every day.

Slamming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its complete about-turn, Saroori said that this party sought votes from common people to stop ‘mission 44’ of right wing BJP.

“But you (PDP) brought mission of Nagpur, RSS, Shiv Sena to J&K,” he said addressing the lawmakers of PDP.

Referring to the statement of a BJP MLA from Hyderabad who asked his Hindu brothers and sisters to boycott the businesses of Muslim Kashmiris, Saroori said, “this was possible only because of this government.”

“The Muslims of J&K are such that they are the first ones to reach the house of a Hindu, Kashmiri Pandit, in case of a marriage or when anyone dies from the community.”

Referring to incoming of Jagmohan as Governor of J&K, he said, “it was RSS and BJP policy to send him here so that a certain population is sent out of state to teach Kashmiris as lesson.”

Questioning the feasibility of “Agenda of Alliance” – the agreement between PDP and BJP for their power sharing and governance in J&K, the Congress lawmaker said asked PDP to leave the government “if they still held confidence”.

“There is only one way and agenda of your government and that is to kill people of Kashmir,” he said.

Saroori said that the present coalition government was “adding fuel to fire” by sticking to their coalition.

Expressing dismay over the use of pellet guns in Kashmir, Saroori addressed the CM: “distributing scooties would not help our women as you have blinded our daughters and sisters by firing pellets.”

Daring the PDP to take lead and hold dialogue, the Congress lawmaker said that the doors of dialogue should be opened.

“You know the stakeholders very well,” he told the PDP, “speak and start dialogue.
It may be noted that the opposition parties did not name All Parties Hurriyat Conference in their protests and speeches inside the house.

However, Saroori referred to the NIA raids saying how “in the name of Pakistan currency, fear was being spread in state”.

At one point, Speaker Kavinder, intervened and told Saroori that it was not time to discuss pellet guns. However, Saroori responded, “your pellet guns kill our people, why should we not discuss it.
Gupta shared smile and Saroori continued. “I dare you to include all those killed by your government in obituary list,” Saroori told the speaker inviting resentment from BJP lawmakers who referred to 2010 when NC-Congress were in office and over 120 youth were killed by armed forces.

Perturbed, PDP’s Chadoora lawmaker, Javaid Mustafa Mir stood up from his seat and shouted: in killing people of Kashmir, Congress’s role comes first.

On this Saroori told the house, “Mir, who prays five times a day and fast during Ramzan, is a son of Congressman father.”

This irritated Mir, who again responded, “my father left Congress because of its (anti-Kashmir) policy.”

On this, Saroori asked Mir, “does your conscience permits you to continue coalition with the party (BJP) which insulted holy Quran?”

Mir was raged and told the house as how Congress was responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid and death of Muhammad Afzal Guru.

Intervening, right wing BJP’s J&K unit chief, Sat Pal Sharma told the house: in response to what Saroori sahib said about insult to a particular holy scripture, let me clear it, BJP respects holy Quran as well as holy Gita.

The governor N N Vohra has called a special session of J&K Legislative Assembly to discuss the extension of central Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the PDP-BJP government is facing a stiff resistance from National Conference and Congress while the joint resistance leadership termed the law as a plan “to cripple economy of J&K”.

On their turn, M Y Tarigami and Hakeem Yaseen advocated for dialogue with every stake holder in J&K.

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