New Delhi- Kashmiris are alienated from the rest of the country because of the policies of the government, CPI Rajya Sabha member Binoy Viswam said on Tuesday.
Participating in the debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Budget 2022-23 and two Appropriation Bills for the Union Territory, he said that once Kashmir was known as paradise on the earth, and “where is the paradise now?”
“You are ruling J&K through the para-military forces and defence forces. We want you to visit Kashmir and find the reality. What you wanted to show is not real Kashmir. Kashmir is bleeding, hence the democratic process must be initiated in the UT,” he said.
“You talk to Kashmiri people and try to know their need, and aspirations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav raised a point of order saying that some members have used unparliamentary words like “joining hands with the enemy” and “thumping chests”, and Congress member L. Hanumanthaiah, who was in the chair, said that he will examine the records and if any such words were used by the members, those will be expunged.
Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the Budget for J&K has not said anything for Kashmiri Pandits. “A film on the Kashmiri Pandits have come, there had been atrocities on the Kashmiri Pandits, nobody can deny this. But you (government) are doing politics on this issue,” she said.
She also said that she got a reply from Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai that around 6,000 houses were sanctioned for Kashmiri Pandits but so far, only 1,025 houses have been built, while around 3,000 vacancies were created for them but only 1,739 got employment.
Chaturvedi stressed that Kashmiri Pandits are not migrants as they are not from other countries and they were forced to leave their homes because of militancy in the erstwhile state.
BJP’s Anil Jain, while criticising the Opposition for opposing “The Kashmir Files”, said that what is shown in the film is only a tip of the iceberg while Trinamool Congress’ Nadimul Haque said that wouldn’t it have been better had the Budget been discussed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav asked the government how many Kashmiri Pandits have been rehabilitated in Jammu and Kashmir. About “The Kashmir Files”, he said that the speeches of the ruling party leaders are even more dangerous than the film.
“Where is the representation of Kashmir in the Upper House and what stops the government from conducting polls once the delimitation has been done. Only the native Kashmiris can understand the state of affairs in the state. Win the confidence of the people. Conduct polls in the state so that the Budget doesn’t need to be discussed in Parliament,” he said.
RJD’s Manoj Jha said that the mainstream of the UT was delegitimised while the absence of trust of the people is concerning. He also said that there is alienation in the state. “Digital mode of education collapsed in the state. Half widow term is only used in Kashmir. One cannot tell the truth in Kashmir,” he added.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that “The Kashmir Files” has disclosed the “sins” of some parties and families.
Questioning the people who make hue and cry about human right violations, he said are human rights only for terrorists and separatists.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman will reply to the debate on Wednesday.
–IANS