New Delhi, Aug 9 : As the opposition parties on Tuesday once again sought a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir valley, the government agreed and said a discussion will take place on Wednesday.
Raising the issue, Naresh Agrawal of the Samajwadi Party (SP) wanted to know when a discussion on the Kashmir situation would take place.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the opposition would only help in controlling the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the government to send an all-party delegation to the state.
“We are not just blaming the government; we are saying we will also help in controlling the situation,” the Congress leader said.
“If security forces and people see each other as enemy, Parliament cannot just watch that. You must send an all-party delegation there in two days,” he said.
Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said: “Other than the ruling alliance, the House and the country does not know what is happening. You have kept it in your hands in a sectarian way.”
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury said the government should “start consultations with all and try to restore normalcy.”
As members argued over the issue, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien intervened to say there should be no politics over the Kashmir issue.
“Kashmir is not an issue to fight and to score political points. All of us are concerned; it should be solved with the help of all people,” Kurien said.
Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should speak on the issue.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi assured the House that a debate will take place on Wednesday.
Azad acknowledged Naqvi’s assurance but said the debate should start at 11 a.m., suspending the Zero Hour and the Question Hour.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who had come to the House by then, agreed with Azad’s proposal.
“I agree with the proposal. I believe Kashmir’s situation is very serious. Solution to this complicated problem cannot be found alone. I would want everyone’s cooperation,” Rajnath Singh said.
India summons Pakistan envoy over cross-border terrorism
Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Tuesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and served him a “strong demarche” protesting continued cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.
“Foreign Secretary Jaishankar called in Pak HC Basit today, issued strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
“Demarche made specific reference to LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently,” he added.
The demarche stated that Pakistani national Bahadur Ali alias Abu Saifullah was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 along with weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, live rounds of ammunition, grenades and grenade launcher, as well as sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani and international origin.
It said Bahadur Ali, born on December 17, 1995, is son of Mohammed Haneef, a resident of Jia Bagga village in the Lahore district of Pakistan’s Punjab province.
“Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India,” the demarche said.
“He was thereafter in touch with ‘operations room’ of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out terrorist attacks in India.”
The demarche said India “strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks”. This was contrary to assurances given by Pakistani leaders at the highest level, it added.
It also said that Bahadur Ali wrote to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi seeking legal aid and assistance to meet his family.
“We are prepared to grant the Pakistan High Commission consular access to Bahadur Ali,” the demarche concluded.
