Karra should have raised Kashmir issue in Parliament: Tarigami

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said the former MP Tariq Hameed Karra should have raised the Kashmir issue in Parliament instead of resigning from his Lok Sabha membership.
Karra, who quit PDP and Lok Sabha recently, "has the right to take a decision. However, I would not lose any opportunity or platform to raise my voice," Tarigami told reporters when asked whether he agreed with the step taken by Karra.
"Karra should have spoken about the situation in Kashmir in the Parliament," Tarigami said.
Talking about the tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Uri attack, he said it should not be an "excuse" for confrontation as dialogue among all stakeholders is the only way to settle the Kashmir issue amicably.

"There is no alternative to talking and the recent unfortunate incident at Uri should not be an excuse for confrontations and hostilities between the two neighbouring countries of the region," Tarigami said.
"India and Pakistan should not treat Kashmir as a chess board and must shun the rigidities for paving a way for lasting solution of the vexed Kashmir problem," Tarigami said.

The MLA from Kulgam assembly segment said the dialogue should not be through interlocutors but with the involvement of the Parliament by constituting a committee of senior Parliamentarians.
"A purposeful and logical dialogue demands constitution of a committee of parliamentarians across the political spectrum assisted by experts and mandated with an initiation of serious and unconditional political dialogue for resolution of Kashmir issue," he added.

Tarigami termed it as s "political unrest" and demanded that laws like Disturbed Areas Act, Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should be revoked.
He also called for withdrawal of armed forces from civilian areas of the state.
The MLA also demanded setting up of a judicial commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the civilian deaths in the unrest and a ban on use of pellet guns.
Seeking adequate compensation for the families of victims, he demanded rehabilitation of the affected.
"The horticulture and transport sectors have been affected and must be compensated by waiving of interest on the loans," he said.

In response to a question, Tarigami said he did not support the demand for holding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir under the UN auspices.