J&K assembly passes resolution against terror attacks in Samba and Kathua - The Times of India
TNN | Mar 22, 2015, 11.02 AM IST
NEW DELHI: J&K assembly on Sunday passed resolution against attacks in Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu and urged government of India to take up the issue with Pakistan.
Chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed condemned terror attacks in Jammu, saying it is a conspiracy to derail peace process.
"If they (Pakistan) wants peace, reconciliation, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, its establishment must control them (terrorism)," he told the J&K assembly after opposition created a ruckus demanding adjournment of the question hour.
This is the first statement that has come from the CM after the twin attacks in Jammu.
Expressing hope that peace would return to Jammu and Kashmir soon, he said, "People of J&K have given a mandate. My suggestion is to introduce a resolution to condemn such attacks.
"This is not the first attack that has taken place in the state. I am sure peace will soon return as it happened during 2002-2007," Sayeed told the assembly.
"If Pakistan wants friendship with us (India), then they will have to help bring in peace to the state. Pakistan will have to tell people involved in such attacks that they should desist," Sayeed said.
He said during the tenure of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf "peace prevailed" on both sides of the border and Line of Control.
Onlookers look into the premises of Kathua PS. (Reuters photo)
Earlier, confusion and noise marred the budget session proceedings of the J&K assembly as the opposition demanded a resolution over the twin terror attacks in Kathua and Samba districts.
As the house assembled for finance minister Haseeb Drabu to present budget proposals for 2015-2016, National Conference and Congress legislators demanded a resolution in the assembly over the terror attacks on Friday and Saturday.
Efforts by Speaker Kavinder Gupta failed to bring the situation under control following which some ruling BJP legislators tried to move into the well of the house.
Soldiers stand around the bodies of militants killed in Samba encounter. (AP photo)
Chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed told the opposition that if they respected the dignity of the house, they should not interrupt its normal proceedings. He said a resolution on the subject could be taken up for discussion.
Asserting that these attacks were attacks against peace in the state, the chief minister requested the speaker that the house should pass a unanimous resolution condemning the attack.
Devinder Rana of the National Conference said his party had already brought in a resolution in the house which the speaker said had been disallowed.
Securitymen during encounter with the militants Rajbagh police station in Kathua district.
Not satisfied by the chief minister's statement, all the opposition National Conference legislators led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah walked out.
On Saturday, two militants had opened fired and lobbed grenades at an Army camp in Meshwara area of Samba. Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar had later informed the Parliament and media that the two militants were killed in the heavy gun-battle that followed.
On Friday too, two heavily-armed terrorists, posing as soldiers in Army fatigues, had stormed a police station and killed three people before they were gunned down at Rajbagh in J&K's Kathua district.
"The two back to back terror attacks in Jammu is an attempt by the militants to boost their morale which has come down due to the Army operations (in the state)," Parrikar had said.
(With inputs from PTI)
