Government reiterates in RS that Home Minister will make a statement on Alam release

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Monday that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be making a formal statement to explain the government's stand on the recent release from jail of Kashmiri separatist Masarat Alam.

Replying to the opposition's demand that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a statement on the issue, as he was the key person involved forming a government with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, Naqvi said, "The leader of the House (M.Venkaiah Naidu) has already made a statement stating that what has happened with regard to Alam's release was wrong. THe Home Minister will be makeing a complete and formal statement on the same issue after Question Hour. Everything will then will be clear."

The demand was made by both Congress leader Anand Sharma and Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also remonstrated that there was a need for the opposition to be patient and wait for a response from the government.

While the opposition continued to be unrelenting in its demand for the Prime MInister to speak, Rajya Sabha Chairman M.Hamid Ansari gave a patient hearing and repeatedly requested them to wait for the clarification from the government. He said that after 50-minutes, the clarification from the government would be forthcoming, and asked for supplementary questions to be raised and discussed.

Earlier, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday, following an uproar in the Upper House over the recent release of separatist leader Masrat Alam.

Opposition leaders and members sought an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, chanting 'Pradhan Mantri, jawab do!'

Similar disruptive scenes are being witnessed in the Lok Sabha as well, with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan repeatedly remonstrating with the opposition to hold off on their protests and await a reply from the treasury benches.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in the Parliament today on Alam's release from jail.

The Union Home Ministry had earlier sought a report from the Jammu and Kashmir Government on circumstances leading to the release of separatist leader.

Alam was released from Baramulla prison following the new Jammu and Kashmir government's policy to free political prisoners who do not face criminal charges.

Alam is the chairman of Muslim League, a constituent of hard-line Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and is widely seen as the latter's successor.

He had been convicted for organizing anti-India protests resulting in the death of 112 people in stone pelting across the Valley in 2010.

Masarat's release has drawn a lot of criticism from several political parties.