IANS
NEW DELHI, MARCH 9
The release of separatist leader Masrat Alam in Jammu and Kashmir created uproar in both houses of parliament even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified that the central government was not consulted on the decision.
The prime minister, in a statement in the Lok Sabha, said it was legitimate for the house to show its anger on the issue.
"There is an anger in the country, and in the house and I join them... I assure the nation, whatever is happening in the state, it is not being done in consultation with the central government, nor has the central government been informed," Modi said.
He asked leaders in the Lok Sabha not to make a political issue of the matter, and said: "At least on the issue of separatists and terrorism, the country should not think along party lines."Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in similar statements made in both houses, informed the members that a clarification was sought from the state government, but the Centre is not satisfied with the reply.
"We have been informed that he has been released, but we are not satisfied with the response and have sought clarifications," Singh informed parliament.
While giving clarifications on his statement in the Rajya Sabha, the home minister said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
"I am happy that the whole house is concerned. If I can understand their feeling, the whole house agrees that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and will always be," he said.
"...I want to assure the house, and I am speaking on behalf of the prime minister, we will not allow anyone to disintegrate the nation, howsoever big the power may be," he added.
Opposition members, irrespective of party affiliation, expressed their anger on the issue and questioned the ruling BJP, which is in alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Alam is guilty of the death of the 112 youth who were killed during the stone-pelting agitation during 2010.
"People like him are not just stone-pelters, they are master minds... I believe 112 youths were killed because of him," said Azad.
In the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: "The Jammu and Kashmir government must have consulted the prime minister on this. You have a coalition government with the PDP."
While both houses of parliament witnessed uproar, Jammu and Kashmir remain calm.
Life was normal in the state despite a two-day shutdown call given by the Panthers Party in Jammu against the release of Alam.
Shops, other business establishments, government offices, banks, post offices and public transport operated normally in Jammu city and other parts of the Jammu region and across Kashmir.
The shutdown call had little effect on life in Jammu, where BJP leaders, including the ministers in the ruling coalition, refused to speak to the media on the controversy created by the separatist leader's release.
Alam, however, said Mufti Sayeed was not to be credited for his release.
"Mufti Sayeed should not try to take political mileage out of it. I was released through a normal legal procedure since my Public safety Act (PSA) detention was about to end in the next two to three days," Alam told reporters in Srinagar.
He also said that his release should not be turned into a political issue.
"What difference does it make if one person is released when there are thousands languishing in jails," he said while denying that he had been responsible for the killings of youths during the 2010 unrest in the Valley. "It was Omar Abdullah and not me who was responsible for those killings," Alam said.
PTI
JAMMU, MARCH 9
BJP legislators in Jammu and Kashmir today lodged a strong protest with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed over the release of hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam and demanded his re-arrest.
The party also took exception to the “misinformation campaign” that the decision to release Alam was taken after consulting it.
The MLAs led by state BJP General Secretary Rajiv Jasrotia met Sayeed at his residence and submitted a memorandum.
“We have lodged a strong protest with the Chief Minister and expressed our deep concern over the unilateral decision (of release of the Masarat Alam),” Jasrotia told reporters later.
He said that Sayeed assured them that their concerns would be addressed.
The BJP also asked Sayeed to consider re-arrest of Alam in view of the statements made by him soon after his release in Kashmir.
“BJP strongly opposes and rejects the decision to release Masarat Alam and believes that the conduct of Alam, after his release and the statements made by him and situation existing now, are fresh inputs to consider his fresh detention under PSA immediately in the interest of the security of the state,” Jasrotia said.
“Alam remaining at large any more will be detrimental to the security of the state and worsen the security scenario,” he claimed.
The BJP also sought immediate probe into all pending FIRs against Alam, the challans of which have not been presented, he said. BJP also demanded setting up of a steering committee to discuss all contentious issues before taking a final decision on them and for the smooth implementation of the terms and conditions agreed upon in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).
“We strongly urged Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed to form a steering committee immediately as required by the CMP and discuss all contentious issues before taking any final decision thereon,” Jasrotia, who led the delegations of BJP legislators to meet Chief Minister, said.
Jasrotia said the CMP postulated the creation of “steering committee” at the highest level by both the parties, headed by the respective presidents, to ensure smooth implementation of the CMP.
“Within one week of the government formation, unfortunately, numbers of statements have come out from PDP, which were not in consonance with the true spirit of the CMP and have put the BJP to embarrassment in the public and its supporters,” he said. Jasrotia said the release of Masarat Alam, “a person with known anti-India and pro-Pakistan ideology, in a hush hush manner, has created a situation of not only embarrassment but concern for BJP with strong reactions coming not only from within Jammu and Kashmir but also from the entire country,” he said.
The BJP legislators demanded that the steering committee should have four members each from both the coalition partners so that the problems do not crop up in the future.
“It won’t happen in the future as the committee that would be set up would have four members each from BJP and PDP and it would discuss all the issues before taking a decision on it,” BJP MLA Neelam Langeh, who was part of the delegation, said.
Kashmiri separatist leader Masrat Alam was released without taking the central government into confidence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, and asked the opposition not to teach him "patriotism".
Making an intervention in the Lok Sabha, Modi said it was legitimate for the house to show its anger on the issue.
"I assure the nation and the house that after the Jammu and Kashmir government was formed, proceedings are taking place without taking the Indian government into confidence," the prime minister said.
"I associate with the concern and anger in the house," he said.
Modi asked leaders in the Lok Sabha not to make a political issue of the matter, and said: "At least on the issue of separatists and terrorism, the country should not think on party lines.
"The BJP is in a coalition with the PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir. You should criticise the government, but the world should not get a message that the country is divided on the issue of its unity and integrity."
"I want to assure that the government will not accept any such incident. We will not compromise on the country's unity and integrity," he added.
