All party meet to discuss Kashmir situation tomorrow

New Delhi, Aug 11: An all party meeting to discuss ongoing situation in Kashmir to be held tomorrow. This has been announced by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be in the meeting," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said after a bipartisan discussion on Kashmir.

Rajya Sabha MPs asked the government to call the meeting over the Kashmir situation and then send a delegation of parliamentarians to the valley for talks with a cross section of the people.

He, however, said that a delegation to be sent will have to wait before some normalcy is restored in the valley where over 55 people have died and thousands injured in a month of unrest following a militant commander's killing on July 8.

"Whatever is happening in the Kashmir Valley is sponsored by Pakistan," Rajnath Singh said.

"Nobody in the world can take Kashmir from us. If there will be talks with Pakistan, there won't be a discussion on Kashmir but on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."

The Rajya Sabha at the end of the debate adopted a resolution expressing concern over Kashmir, saying it was necessary to take steps to restore normalcy there without compromising on national security.

"This house expresses its concern over the disturbance, violence and curfew in the Kashmir Valley. The house expresses deep concern and sensitivity towards the deteriorating situation and the deaths," said the resolution, read out by Rajnath Singh in Hindi.

Initiating the debate, Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad urged the government to win the hearts and minds of people of the "integral part of India".

"We always say Kashmir is an integral part of India. But integral part should not be on paper only. There should be the integration of minds and hearts," Azad said, expressing concern over the violence and continued lockdown of the valley.

The Congress leader slammed the Prime Minister for not speaking in parliament about the situation in the valley and choosing a Madhya Pradesh rally to appeal for peace in Kashmir.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from IANS)