Oppn members in RS demand release of political detainees, restoration of statehood to J&K

Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha demanded an immediate release of political detainees, restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and compensation to people who had lost their livelihood there on Monday.

Initiating the debate on the budget for Jammu and Kashmir, senior Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged that the Union Territory was on "ventilator" after the government put it under a "political quarantine" for the last seven months and a half, saying the situation there was worse than what it was even 30 years ago.

The Leader of Opposition in the Upper House of Parliament hoped that the next budget for Jammu and Kashmir would be passed in the Assembly there and all political detainees would be released immediately to help revive political activity in the state.

He also demanded an early grant of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which has been divided into two Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, since October 31 last year.

Azad alleged that there was no development in Jammu and Kashmir ever since it was bifurcated into Union territories and deprived of statehood, contrary to the claims made by the BJP-led Centre.

He said it would have been better if the budget for Jammu and Kashmir was discussed in the Assembly there, adding that it was being deliberated upon at a time when the entire world was under the grip of the coronavirus and making efforts to get out of it.

"A quarantine has been imposed, but Jammu and Kashmir is in a political quarantine for the last seven months and a half. We need to get it out of it.

"The situation in Jammu and Kashmir now is even worse than what it was 30 years ago," the Congress leader said.

Stating that there were natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes and outbreak of diseases, over which no one had any control, he said, "But the problem in Jammu and Kashmir for seven months and a half is not because of the nature or gods. It is because of the government of our own country. The calamity has not been brought by foreign invaders...the protector itself has become a disaster."
"History will decide whether the government decision (to bifurcate the state into Union territories) was correct or not."