The Kashmir unrest was taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, a day after the government came under increased pressure from the Opposition.
Opposition leaders had voiced concern over the Valley being curfew-bound for over a month and demanded a stop to the use of pellet guns. They also demanded a parliamentary delegation to be sent to Kashmir to deliberate with all sections, and an all-party meet to find a resolution.
“We don’t want to accuse the government. Rather, we are ready to help control the situation. Innocent women and children are dying. Your security forces are dying. Why are you shying away from debate?” leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Tuesday, when curfew entered its 32nd day in the state.
Here’s how the debate played out:
6.09pm: All-party meeting to discuss Kashmir situation on August 12
6.05pm: As many as 4515 security personnel and 3,356 civilians injured in Kashmir: Rajnath Singh
5.56pm: Whatever is happening in Kashmir has been instigated by Pakistan, says Rajnath Singh.
5.54pm: Singh says separatist leaders in Kashmir have been instigating people since July 9.
5.51pm: Discussion on Kashmir sign of healthy democracy and people should be proud of it, says home minister Rajnath Singh.
5.49 pm: Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad says home minister should make it clear if an all-party meeting will visit Kashmir.
5.45 pm: Chaudhary Munnver Saleem, Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh says for the sake of human rights, security forces should act with restraint and not use pellet guns.
4:10pm: Mir Mohammad Fayaz, PDP, informs the House that the separatists were once political leaders who fought elections constitutionally between 1947 and 1987. “There must be some mistakes we made that they became separatists, but today we say we won’t talk to them,” he says.
“Hanging Afzal Guru before others (on death row) despite being serial No 27, Kashmiris feel, was because he was a Kashmiri,” he says. “Kashmiris feel they are being treated different from people of other states.”
3:58pm: “Punjab is will only be peaceful when Kashmir is peaceful,” Pratap Singh Bajwa, Congress, says.
3:48pm: KTS Tulsi, nominated RS member, says Sikhs in Kashmir are insecure and require the government’s support.