Congress-NC  ridiculed Parrikar's remarks on stone-pelting

Srinagar, Nov 16 (KNS): The opposition political parties on Wednesday ridiculed the statement of Union Defence Minister; Manohar Parrikar wherein he had stated that the demonetization of currency has resulted in the decline in stone pelting in the valley.

The leaders of the parties also termed the Union Defence Minister's statement as ‘childish'.

State Congress chief, G A Mir told KNS that the anger among people against the government was the only reason that people were taking part in stone pelting. “The people of Kashmir are not professional stone pelters but were taking part in such events only to show their anger against the government, who betrayed their trust from time to time since they assumed the office here,” he said.

He said that the Government of India (GoI) is misguiding the nation about Kashmiris. “No panic and rush of people in and outside Banks in the Valley clearly indicated that Kashmiris have no money. They didn't earn even a single penny during the past four months of uprising. Thus simultaneously, making such statements about Kashmiris is nothing but to misguide the nation,” he said.

Mir added, “The attendance of students in class 10 and 12 exams should not be seen as immediate solution or any initiative but the fact is that the students were extra conscious about their studies and appeared in the exams,” he said.

He said that the credit for this huge attendance of students goes to parents who prepared their wards to appear in the examination in November.

Talking to KNS, National Conference's (NC) provisional president, Nasir Aslam Wani while terming the statement of Parrikar as ‘silly' said that the Kashmir issue is not an issue of economy and development but it is beyond that. “Kashmir issue is a political issue and needs political solution,” he said.

He said that the ground report is that the stone pelting was on decline much earlier. “Demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 didn't result in the decline in stone pelting but it was already in decline before demonetization of notes was announced,” he said.

While referring to Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Prakesh Javadekar's comment equating demonetization and students in Kashmir appearing with examinations as surgical strikes, Wani said, “The students worried students appeared in the examinations to save their academic year. There must be no comparison in this regard and as being Union Minister, Javedkar must have talked responsibly,” he said.

People's Democratic Front (PDP) president and MLA Khansahib, Hakim Muhammad Yaseen termed the Parrikar's statement as ‘unfortunate'.

He said that instead of making such statements Government of India (GoI) should address the core issue. “They were the people who were seeking normalcy in Kashmir and when the situation is limping towards normalcy, they are making provocable statements, which seem that they don't want peace in the Valley,” he said.

MLA Khansahib said that GoI must address the core issue and must stop issuing such kind of statements. (KNS)