J&K unrest brought development activities to standstill: Cong

In an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir government, Congress today said that while the PDP-BJP dispensation has deployed its resources to control the law and order situation in the Valley all other development activities have come to a standstill.
"The whole attention of the government is towards controlling the law and order situation and all other activities in the field of development are adversely affected," Congress leader and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council Jahangir Ahmed Mir said here.
He urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain 'traditional brotherhood' as the state has been passing through a very 'critical juncture'.

Mir said people are fed up of shortage of food, drinking water, power supply and medical facilities in far flung and rural areas.
"Due to deteriorating law and order situation people from all walks of life have been affected," he said, adding, there are numerous day-to-day problems of people which required to be addressed.
"They face problems in Parliament because of this style.

But still, they do not talk. They have never tried to talk to us about the foreign policy issues related to the US, China or our neighbouring country and use our experience. The same goes for Kashmir," Khurshid said.

The former Union minister said that at the meeting with party leaders, they were told the nature of the protest has been changing.
"We had thought that things were settling down, there was calm, tourists were coming here, but they are talking about the nature of protests is changing.
"The social medium is now becoming an important source. When you have leaderless crowds, you are dealing with a different kind of protest. So, this is a very complex position and I am urging you to please help us bring peace. Carry our appeal of peace to all these young people, we are willing to go an extra mile," he said.

Khurshid said there is no other answer but dialogue to any problem. "But today, the dialogue has been stopped. It has been virtually aborted and the central government is showing no signs of a dialogue," he said.
This should be said right now that please talk to us, what do you need to start talking.
Replying to a query about AFSPA, he said, "Though Congress has no formal stance on it, there is a mood developing that such laws are now outdated and we must now look at better and accountable ways of enforcing peace".