Govt ignores dissent, to give relief to unrest victims

JAMMU: A day after the state working committee of the BJP adopted a resolution opposing ex gratia relief to the victims of the 2016 unrest in Kashmir, the state government, of which the BJP is also a part, decided to go ahead with the decision of giving the relief to the victims.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 16

A day after the state working committee of the BJP adopted a resolution opposing ex gratia relief to the victims of the 2016 unrest in Kashmir, the state government, of which the BJP is also a part, decided to go ahead with the decision of giving the relief to the victims.

Responding to the demand of the Opposition parties clearing the government position on the issue, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri said the House was supreme and a statement had already been made by the Chief Minister.

Responding to the discussion on the Kashmir unrest on January 10, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had announced to give Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of the people killed in the unrest in the Valley and a government job in a few cases. However, the BJP state working committee opposed the decision and moved a resolution against it at a meeting yesterday.

This happened after the united Opposition, including National Conference, Congress and other smaller party MLAs, protested in the House and raised slogans demanding the government to clear its position. As the House assembled at 10 am, Opposition members, while quoting reports in newspapers regarding the resolution, sought answer from the government.

This created pandemonium in the House and Opposition MLAs even entered the well of the House demanding ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ from the PDP-BJP government. The response came from Veeri only after 40 minutes of the Question Hour were wasted in the high drama.

During yesterday’s meeting, a political resolution was adopted which stated, “Giving ex gratia relief and government jobs to the families of those who were killed while attacking the posts of security forces and the police would encourage those elements who have declared a war against the nation.” The resolution had termed the decision as “premium for separatism”.

But this resolution created uproar in the House today and the government was forced to clear its position.

Things didn’t stop there as National Conference MLAs Devender Singh Rana and Kamal Arora and Congress MLAs took on the BJP for cheating the people of Jammu and Dogras. “You have insulted Dogras for 60 years, but now your duplicity has come to the fore,” they said.

BJP MLAs led by Ravinder Raina tried to intervene, but their voices got muzzled.