The killing of two youth by army in Shopian district rocked the Legislative Assembly on Monday, with the opposition demanding arrest of army personnel involved in the killings.
As soon as proceedings of the House began this morning, all the opposition legislators stood up demanding discussion on the killings and action against the accused army personnel. “You should suspend the question hour and allow discussion on the killings,” NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar asked the Speaker.
The opposition had submitted a joint adjournment motion seeking discussion over the killings.
PDP’s Muhammad Ashraf Mir and Muhammad YousufBhat also stood up, seeking action against the guilty army men.
Amid pandemonium, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti urged the Speaker to allow discussion on the killings. “What has happened (in Shopian) is unfortunate … some members want to discuss the issue; there should be a discussion. It is the right of the House to allow the discussion,” she said.
After CM’s intervention, the Speaker assured the House that he will allow discussion on the killings after the question hour.
The Speaker’s assurance failed to pacify the protesting lawmakers as they did not budge from their demand. “There is only one question, why these killings took place? This is the biggest question,” CPI(M) legislator Muhammad YousufTarigami said.
With opposition sticking to their demand, the Speaker suspended the question hour and allowed discussion on the killings.
Two youth, Javaid Ahmed Bhat and SuhailJavaid, of Shopian district were killed in army firing on Saturday afternoon while third youth Reyaz Ahmed is battling for life at a Srinagar hospital. The local residents said the firing was unprovoked.
ARREST ARMY PERSONNEL: NC
National Conference leader and MLA Khanyar Ali Muhammad Sagar demanded immediate arrest of the accused army personnel. “The army personnel should be immediately arrested so that it would serve as a lesson to others and they would think ten times before opening fire on civilians,” he said.
He also took on government for failing to make public findings of the enquires conducted by it in civilian killings during the past three years. “What happened to Handwara killings inquiry? You give us an assurance here that you will table inquiry report in the House but we have not seen that report in the past two years,” he said.
He also slammed the right-wing BJP, saying their ideology is dangerous for J&K and Muslims of India. “Do you want to set Kashmir on fire ? Do you treat every Kashmiri as terrorist?” he asked the BJP lawmakers.
He said the space for mainstream in Kashmir is shrinking due to omissions and commissions of the present dispensation. “It is a matter of concern that youngsters are joining militancy,” he said, adding that cordon and search operations and pellet guns cannot resolve the problem.
“Do you think people will remain silent to your General Dyer attitude? Do you think Kashmiris are frightened of your forces? They will not get frightened even if you bring all your forces in Kashmir,” he said.
Lashing out at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Sagar accused her of trying to create peace of a graveyard in Kashmir. “You used to disturb our peace in the House (when you were in opposition), now you have disturbed peace of every Kashmiri,” he said.
CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam Muhammad YousufTarigami said efforts were being made to find military solution to Kashmir issue which is fundamentally a political problem.
He also questioned the presence of Army in mainland of J&K and State government’s failure to ban pellet guns.
“Why our cabinet cannot decide that pellet guns should be stopped?” he asked.
He said the House should pass a resolution urging Government of India to initiate a serious political dialogue for resolution of Kashmir issue.
UNPROVOKED FIRING: PDP
PDP legislator from Shopian, Muhammad YousufBhat, said unprovoked firing by the Army led to the deaths. “There was no provocation at all. The Army resorted to unprovoked firing,” he said. “On one hand, the Government of India talks about embracing Kashmiris but on the other forces are killing innocent Kashmiris.”
He said the blood of Kashmiris is not so cheap that it would be spilled every day. “Bullet is not an answer to a stone,” he said. He also demanded arrest of the army men named in the FIR.
Chairman of Peoples Democratic Front and MLA Khansahab Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen also supported the demand for arresting the army men.