Uproar in Lok Sabha, BJP questions Omar Govt. inaction during Kishtwar violence

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ANI New Delhi
Last Updated : Aug 13 2013 | 12:05 PM IST

The opposition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), created an uproar on the sixth day of the second half of the monsoon session of Parliament over a demand to know why the Omar Abdullah-led government in Jammu and Kashmir had not taken prompt action to end the communally-motivated violence in the state's Kishtwar District.

The opposition, led by BJP Member of Parliament Yogi Adityanath, repeatedly asked the chair in the Lok Sabha and the government as to why the Omar Government has been silent and inactive in controlling the violence in Kishtwar.

Speaker Meira Kumar had to adjourn proceedings till noon, even as the opposition further demanded that the chair instruct the government to take strong action against anti-national elements in the region.

A war of words is on between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah over the Kishtwar communal violence, which claimed three lives and injured many others.

The BJP is especially rattled by Mr Abdullah's claim that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi waited for days before calling in the Indian Army to control the 2002 violence.

Hitting out at Abdullah for being factually incorrect, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman had tweeted, "1 Mar 2002 followed Feb 28.No days in between! Army called on Feb 28, deployed 1 Mar. "Waited days to call out the army..." Shri Omar Abdullah where are the facts?"

Yesterday, after Omar Abdullah was attacked by the BJP for allegedly failing to check the spiralling violence that broke out on Eid in Kishtwar, the Chief Minister retaliated by accusing the BJP of being "hypocrites" and ignoring major lapses by Mr Modi during the 2002 violence.

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"J and K CM's tweets misrepresent facts. Shocking he calls others "hypocrites," the BJP spokesperson added.

Abdullah, who stopped senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley from visiting the riot-hit areas, was backed by the Centre yesterday, with Acting Home Minister P Chidambaram defending the decision in Parliament.

Facing flak over the violence, Jammu and Kashmir's junior Home Minister Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo resigned yesterday. The resignation was used by Mr Abdullah to corner the BJP over Mr Modi's role in 2002.

At least 11 people, including two policemen, have been arrested for the clashes which broke out in the Kishtwar, 150 km from Jammu. Curfew continues in six districts of the region.

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First Published: Aug 13 2013 | 11:56 AM IST

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