Kashmir can’t be ruled with gun barrel, says Opposition

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Monday slammed the Centre over excessive use of force in Jammu and Kashmir and cautioned the government that bullets can’t bring

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Monday slammed the Centre over excessive use of force in Jammu and Kashmir and cautioned the government that bullets can’t bring a solution to the unrest in the Valley.

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During the discussion on the latest crisis, Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha also urged the government to immediately start a dialogue process with Kashmiris.

Initiating the discussions, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said while his party supported efforts to deal firmly with militancy, the “excessive use” of force against the common citizens, including children and women, was not acceptable.

“Kashmir can’t be ruled through the barrel of the gun or bullets,” said Azad. He also blamed BJP’s participation in the state government and the provocative statements made by some leaders of BJP and RSS for the crisis.

Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal asked the government to understand the sentiments of the Kashmiris. “Our leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has said if you go on a war against Pakistan, we will stand by you. But if there is a need to change policy, you have to do it with a brave heart,” Agarwal said.

Opposition leaders also questioned why the government was not following the political process the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government started. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said, “In Atalji’s government, there was a political effort. Why is there so much difference between Vajpayee’s government and this government?” BJD, CPI(M) and some other parties asked the government to probe into allegations of use of excessive force.