Jammu, March 1
The tremors of the Gujarat carnage were felt in the state Assembly here today when members belonging to the CPM, the Congress, the PDP and the National Conference remained on their feet shouting loud in protest against the massacre of kar sevaks and its fallout in other areas.
The House witnessed noisy scenes with the Congress, the BSP and the NC members gesticulating against the BJP members. The two sides exchanged hot words. Mr Mohd Shafi Bhat of the NC and Mr Ashok Khajuria were seen shouting at each other.
The members were demanding a statement from the government, especially from the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who was not present in the House when Mr M.Y. Tarigami of the CPM raised the issue even before the start of question hour.
Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil’s efforts to pacify the members, enraged over the Gujarat massacre, failed. As the pandemonium persisted the Chief Minister entered the House and his assurance that the government would come out with a statement after the question hour restored order in the House.
Dr Farooq Abdullah while condemning the events said the massacre of kar sevaks at the railway station and other gory incidents were shocking and heart rending. He said it was unfortunate that while “our troops are busy on the border to foil Pak machinations, our leaders are engaged in a quarrel over mandir and masjid.”
He said instead of thinking of measures to defeat the evil designs of “our enemy” the leaders were thinking about the raising of a temple. He said the massacre of innocent people was open murder of “humanity” and suggested to the leaders of different political parties and people in the state and the country to observe restraint. He said any attempt to exploit the situation or to incite people would help the designs of “our enemy.”
He described the Gujarat carnage nothing but an act of terrorism and said while the country and its people were engaged in fighting Pak-sponsored extremists within the country were giving new dimensions to the acts of terrorism. He said our neighbour wanted a situation to be created in which the government is forced to withdraw troops from the border and deploy them for internal security. “If all of us do not observe restraint and invite sentiments it would endanger the unity and integrity of the country.”
Raising his voice he said “if leaders are keen to build a Ram temple they could come to Jammu and Kashmir. I will allot them land on which a massive Ram temple could be built.” He said if India is safe both Ram and Allah will be safe. If India disintegrates there will neither be any Ram nor any Allah.”
Appealing to people and political leaders not to endanger the security of the country he suggested them to behave like civilised human beings and not like “animals.”
His views were endorsed by the Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil, and by the entire House. On the suggestion of the Chief Minister the House condemned the incidents and expressed dismay over the way the police remained a mute spectator and the Army was called out after 36 hours. Two minutes silence was observed in memory of these killed by “fanatics.”
After the leader of the House and the Speaker made their statements the House witnessed noisy scenes again when the BJP member, Mr Ashok Khajuria, exchanged hot words with Sheikh Abdul Rehman, a BSP member. Mr Rehman while condemning the incidents demanded the immediate dismissal of the BJP government in Gujarat on the plea that the Chief Minister, Mr Narender Modi, did not call the Army immediately.
The BJP members shouted down Mr Rehman telling him that the carnage in Gujarat and its adjoining areas was the work of the ISI agents.
Making a statement on Gujarat incidents in the Legislative Council the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, demanded that the entire episode of carnage be inquired into by a high-level team. He said the National Human Rights Commission should probe the events on its own and identify elements and forces behind the outrage so that they could be severely punished.
The Gujarat events dominated the discussion on a motion of thanks on the Governor’s Address in the state Assembly. Several NC Members, including Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Mr G.M. Bhawan, Mr Mohd Abbas, Mr Mohd Abdullah Mujahid, Mr Abdul Gani Naseem and Mr Nissar Ahmed and Mr Abdul Rehman Veeri of the PDP expressed deep concern over the incidents. They said the very foundation of secularism was under threat from the fundamentalists.
They said that Kashmir under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah had
acceded to India for its commitment to secularism. However, the Gujarat incidents had posed new challenges to the secular foundations of the country.
Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari said the Gujarat incidents had added new dimensions to the ongoing terrorism in the country. He said it was unfortunate that fundamentalists in India had not learnt any lesson from Afghanistan and Pakistan where extremists had to bow before liberalism.
The Molvi was very critical of Delhi’s policy towards Kashmir and said that instead of taking suitable steps for removing peoples’ alienation the Central Government was taking measures which further increased this isolation. In this context he referred to the disconnection of the Internet, ISD and STD facilities from the cyber cafes and PCOs in Jammu and Kashmir and said it had only aggravated anger and alienation of the people. He said it was part of the Government’s discrimination against the state people and added that it was surprising and intriguing that people could travel to Pathankot and enjoy all the facilities from the PCO.
Mr M.Y. Tarigami, CPM, issued a statement criticising the Central Government Budget proposals. He said in the Budget no exercise had been taken to check the economic crisis and instead additional burden had been placed on the shoulders of the poor by hiking the prices of various commodities and services.
