Srinagar, July 17 (KNS): Amid the prevailing restive situation in the Kashmir valley, Congress party Sunday demanded that the BJP-led government at the centre should call an All Parties Meeting to bring normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Congress party said that centre should start dialogue with the Kashmiri leadership and people and reach out to the angry youth.
The party also demanded ban on use of pellets protesters and said that gagging media is “wrong”.
“It is unfortunate that the Centre is not taking steps to address the ongoing grave situation in the Kashmir Valley. All Parties meeting should have been called to end the unfortunate violence which is causing deaths in the Valley,” All India Congress Committee General Secretary, Ambika Soni, told reporters in a press conference here.
As per KNS correspondent, Soni said lashed out at the ruling BJP at the Centre and the PDP-BJP coalition in the state for showing “no concern” to the situation and toward the people of the Jammu and Kashmir.
“130-160 children have been blinded by the relentless and excessive use of pellets on the protesters. But PM (Prime Minister, Narendra Modi) and the state government is showing no concern,” the senior Congress leader said.
Soni said that the centre should reach out to the angry youth and address the “real anger”.
Soni said that “innocent victims” have been injured in violence during protests and the government should help for their immediate treatment.
“Our Congress representatives told us that medical facilities in hospitals are short of what is needed. Health minister is issuing a statement from Jammu that there is no shortage of medicine in the hospitals. Instead of ferrying patients to Chandigarh or Amritsar for their treatment, the Center government is sending extra-troops in planes to the Valley,” she said.
“We want immediate medical help for the patients,” she said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The Congress leader said that the party does not want to politicise the situation but “wants to contribute to help those who are victimised”.
Former External Affairs minister and senior Congress leader, Salman Khursheed, said that the BJP-led Government at the Center us following a “style of not talking to anyone” on any issue or foreign policy.
“Same style is being followed in Kashmir. Centre needs to talk to the people in the state, reach out to people, start a dialogue with representatives of the people,” Khursheed said.
The Senior Congress leader said that gagging media in the Valley is “wrong” and “harmful” in democracy.
He said that disproportionate and excessive forces is being used on the protesters.
“But (security) men who serve here under such circumstances are under tremendous pressure. We can’t be insensitive to to forces who serve here… But that does not give them freedom to kill. Safeguards have all disappeared,” he added.
The former minister said that sustained dialogue is very important.
“But dialogue is being virtually aborted and there are no signs of any dialogue,” he added.
On the use of pellets, the Kursheed said that “other means can be used quell the protests.”
JKPCC chief G A Mir told KNS that Congress demands a complete ban on use of pellets on protesters. “Yes, we demand a complete ban on use of pellets as our party stands against use of excessive force on protesters,” Mir told KNS after the press conference.
The Congress leaders said that one of the reasons for the present unrest is because of the PDP-BJP which fought 2014 Assembly elections against each other and then formed an alliance.
Among other leaders were former ministers Taj Mohi-u-din, and Congress leader and MLC G N Monga. (KNS)