Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday sought an all-party meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir and expressed concern over use of pellet guns to quell protests leaving many with eye injuries.
“We have to show empathy because 32 people have been killed so far to end the cycle of violence. Let the government call an all-party meeting either before Parliament session or during the Parliament session,” he told PTI.
Owaisi charged the NDA government with abandoning the “2003 process that was started by (then Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee which was security to deal with militants and development to isolate separatists from general public. There was also a political process in that which even the UPA government did not pursue.”
The Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP said he was really concerned about the usage of pellet guns which has led to more than 60-70 people receiving eye injuries.
Owaisi said, “Within the BJP-PDP Alliance (in J&K), they have talked about removing AFSPA. They have talked about (holding) talks with separatists and other stakeholders. Let this be started because it’s in their own agenda for alliance.”
He also regretted that people show concern only when killings happen in the border state. He said 110 people were killed in 2010 in Kashmir, after which an all-party delegation went there but “we don’t know about the interlocutor’s report. In fact, UPA government completely ignored the interlocutor’s report”.
Referring to the current outpouring of support for slain militant Burhan Wani, Owaisi said, “We don’t want anyone to be behind militants but what is happening in Kashmir is that not hundreds but thousands and thousands of people are turning up in funeral prayers of militants. This in itself should really concern us.”
“The blame also lies with the UPA government. Why is there so much alienation among the youth in (Kashmir) valley? Let them (BJP-PDP govt) implement their own agenda for alliance which talked about removing of AFSPA and talks with separatists and other stake holders. And this government does not want to give enough compensation for floods which happened there (Kashmir). This has to be seen in light of all this things,” he said.
The AIMIM chief alleged that the amount of force used by police during riot in Jammu was not as strong as the one seen in the last few days in Kashmir.
“So, what does all these things tell us?” he asked.