The Omar Abdullah Government came under severe criticism on Monday when the entire Opposition and even the supporting parties of the UPA Government accused it of failure to check the violence in Kishtwar and demanded acredible enquiry.
The BSP went to the extent of calling for dismissal of the State Government and imposition of President’s Rule in Jammu & Kashmir.
Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley termed the violence in Kishtwar and adjoining areas as an attack on sovereignty and integrity of the country and said that anti-national elements should not be allowed to exploit the situation and repeat what happened 23-years-ago, when similar violence forced the minority community to migrate from Kashmir Valley. “The country is still struggling to send them back,” he said.
He accused the local SSP and District Magistrate of inaction and claimed that even after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was informed about ransacking of homes and attacks on innocent people, the mayhem continued for five to six hours and the Army was deployed late in the evening. In the meantime, violence spread to neighbouring areas and even the BSP District president’s son was killed, he said.
Jaitley, who was prevented from entering Kishtwar on Sunday, sought to know if the Government was trying to impose censorship by not allowing him and other leaders to visit the area.
He said India is not a “banana republic” where an order was issued under Section 144 banning a person from entering Jammu. Asserting that Jammu & Kashmir is not the property of one family, he demanded an enquiry into the incident and compensation to the victims.
BSP leader Mayawati said that 17 bullets were fired at her party’s district leader’s son by the mob, which indulged in large-scale arson and violence.
She expressed dissatisfaction with the judicial probe ordered by the State Government and demanded that the Centre should intervene, dismiss the State Government and impose President’s Rule.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury expressed anger and agony over the incident saying it was not just a simple law and order problem as the situation was allowed to deteriorate. He asked why such incidents take place ahead of lok Sabha polls.
Expressing solidarity with its arch rival BSP for the killing of its worker’s kin, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said the presence of the armed forces should be strengthened in the areas as dismissal of the State Government will not resolve the matter.
Karan Singh of the Congress asked the Centre not to “simply sit” on problems faced by the State and instead take bold and creative decisions. He lamented that reports of various committees and Home Ministry’s interlocutors on J&K were gathering dust and none of the suggestions have been implemented.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is holding temporary charge of the Home Ministry, said the situation in the region was tense but under control. He assured members that a repeat of forced migration witnessed in 1990 will not be allowed.
Speaking on behalf of indisposed Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, he said: “We will not allow repetition of 1990. We will not allow forced migration. We will not allow forced resettlement.”
Pointing out that sufficient Army contingents have been deployed and flag marches had instilled confidence among the people, he said the District Magistrate and SSP have been transferred. The Centre is extending all possible help to the State Government in maintaining peace and harmony.
Chidambaram also defended the State Government’s decision of not allowing Jaitley to visit Kishtwar, saying that since curfew was imposed and Section 144 was in force, the State Government decided to deny him entry. He said political leaders would be allowed to go there when the situation improved.
He said the Centre has asked the State Government to investigate the violence more comprehensively and credibly for which terms of reference of the probe panel will be announced.
Union Minister Farooq Abdullah retaliated to Jaitley’s charge of the State not being any family’s property by reminding him that during the 2002 riots in Gujarat, the BJP Government had not allowed anyone to enter Ahmedabad.
Earlier, the House faced two adjournments on the issue when the Opposition demanded debate on the issue instead of Question Hour.The Treasury benches and Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien had heated arguments when the former demanded that Chidambaram should be allowed to make a statement first, even though Kurien had allowed Jaitley to speak first. However, Kurien remained firm saying that the Government had not intimated that it wanted to make a statement. As the tussle continued the House was adjourned. later, when the House reassembled, the Opposition forced the Government to allow it to raise the issue first and Chidambaram agreed to just reply.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has issued an advisory to the J&K Government to ensure peace by deploying adequate forces in all sensitive parts of the State. According to senior MHA officials the Ministry told the State Government that violence may spread to other parts and asked it to prevent that from happening.
The Home Ministry also said those indulging in violence should be brought to book. The Centre feels there were several lapses on the part of the State administration in maintaining law and order, sources said.