BJP speaks for the forces

The BJP on Tuesday came out in support of security personnel posted in Jammu & Kashmir and Naxal-affected areas. Personnel are being injured by stone-pelting by Kashmir mobs and killed in landmine blasts by Maoists.

In the Rajya Sabha, it called for taking a holistic view of the Kashmir situation and urged the Government to procure readily available anti-mine detection gadgets to avoid casualties in Naxal-infested areas.

Karan Singh (Congress) expressed anguish at the death of young boys in police firing in Kashmir since June 11 and asked members to join him in offering sympathies to their families. He said the Valley was witnessing an unprecedented situation as people were suffering the impact of bandhs by separatists and curfew by security forces.

Sitaram Yechury (CPM) said an all-party delegation should visit the Valley and interact with the residents. “We should make them feel that we are with them. This is the best way to instill confidence in their minds,” he said.

However, Chandan Mitra (BJP) opposed the lopsided view taken by the House. While endorsing the suggestions of Singh and Yechury, Mitra said they overlooked the condition of the security forces.

Mitra said, “So far, over 700 security personnel have been injured due to stone-pelting by the mobs. The security forces have been valiantly fighting for the unity and integrity of the country. Therefore, the House will have to take a holistic view of the situation.”

This apart, raising this issue of securitymen getting killed in landmine blasts, Shreegopal Vyas (BJP) said, “India is a technologically-advanced country. Why can’t we prevent such incidents?” He said the Indian defence industry had developed gadgets to detect landmines and these could be fitted on to the vehicles carrying security forces in areas like Chhattisgarh.

Elaborating on this, he said the gadgets were already used by the railways and urged Home Minister P Chidambaram, who was present in the House, to take note of it and take necessary measures. Chandan Mitra urged the Minister to respond to this issue. However, Chidambaram did not.

BJP leader Prabhat Jha raised the issue of missing trucks laden with explosives and wanted to know the steps taken by the Home Ministry in this regard.

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