Amid anti-Pak slogans, J&K Legislature condemns fidayeen attacks

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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Jammu, March 22: Notwithstanding a walkout by the opposition National Conference (NC), which insisted on a special debate, both Houses of the State Legislature in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday condemned the previous week’s twin fidayeen attacks in Jammu.

Legislative Assembly, followed by Legislative Council, passed separate resolutions urging New Delhi to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to take “all measures for preventing such dastardly acts in future for a lasting peace in the region so that the initiatives towards peace do not get derailed and allow the people of Jammu & Kashmir to get the dividends of peace process”.

“The House, which is the most legitimate democratic institution representing the aspirations of the people of the State, resolves that the movement for peace and reconciliation will be carried forward with full force and the enemies of people will be defeated”, said the resolution.

Proceedings in the Assembly were marred in the very beginning as members of Congress, NC as well as the ruling BJP, created ruckus over the twin strikes in which nine people, including four militants, died in Kathua and Samba districts on Friday and Saturday. Congress and BJP members, all from Jammu, shouted anti-Pakistan slogans even as the former contended that the PDP-BJP government’s policies had raised the morale of the separatists and the militants had executed such type of attacks after a long time.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed intervened with his strong condemnation of the fidayeen strikes and announced that the Legislature would pass a resolution and impress upon the Centre to convey to Islamabad, “which itself is embroiled with terrorism”, to ensure that such attacks did not subvert the peace process. “Pakistan’s establishment shall have to control it. Otherwise how can the vehicle of peace surge forward?” he said.

Mufti referred to General Musharaf’s period and recalled that “not a single incident of terror happened from Kargil to Kathua in those six years”. He said that the J&K Assembly had the “biggest representative character” as its elected members had come with a massive mandate. It said Assembly would take a call and convey to Pakistan through New Delhi that such incidents would have to stop. “The relations between India and Pakistan won’t improve if such incidents continue to happen,” he said, while calling for a greater vigil on the borders to prevent such attacks.

While asserting that such dastardly acts are timed to subvert the peace process that has lately resumed between India and Pakistan, Mufti said such forces were desperate to disturb peace in the region. They won’t be allowed to succeed, he said. “If we have to carry forward the process of reconciliation, such incidents should not be repeated”.

“We have invested a lot in the peace process. There are some rogue elements which in the name of religion are carrying out such acts. These elements will not be allowed to damage the fabric of peace in the State,” Chief Minister said.

NC walkout

NC MLAs disagreed with CM’s suggestion of merely passing a resolution. They demanded adjournment of the business and a special debate on the status of internal security besides circumstances leading to the fidayeen attacks. Speaker Kavinder Gupta did not admit the motion. Thereupon, all the NC MLAs led by Omar Abdullah staged a walkout in protest.

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