Ghulam Nabi Azad demands all-party meet on Jammu & Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Slamming the government over the situation in Kashmir, Opposition in the Rajya Sabha today pressed for holding an all-party meet to discuss the issue and pitched for a political solution rather than using "barrel of the gun" while dealing with the unrest.

During a short-duration discussion on the Kashmir situation, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said while his party stands with the Modi government and the coalition in the state in dealing firmly with militancy, the "excessive use" of force against the common citizens, including children and women, is not acceptable.

For the current unrest, he blamed a number of reasons including BJP's participation in government with PDP in the state, provocative statements made by some leaders of BJP and RSS besides Pakistan, "whose existence is the root cause of all problems."

He underlined that Kashmir cannot be ruled "through the barrel of the gun or bullets" and demanded that responsibility be fixed for "excessive use" of force.

He also demanded all-party meeting on the issue.

Leader of House Arun Jaitley admitted that the situation in Kashmir was a "matter of concern" but rejected the contention that the violence in the valley was a result of the BJP getting into power at the state.

Asserting that efforts are underway to restore normalcy at the earliest, he said the entire country should speak in one voice at this time and common man should not be made to suffer there.

Asking the youth to stay away from the agitation which is being held against the killing of a militant, he said, "When thousands of people attack the police, then understandably, there will be action. The fight is between the country and the separatists and common people are standing with the country which is in national interest."