Members in Rajya Sabha on Monday expressed their concern over violence in Kishtwar area of Jammu and Kashmir with Opposition saying the country's "sovereignty and integrity" was at stake and the matter should not be simplified as an inter-community clash.
Arun Jaitley, leader of the Opposition, alleged that the state government had failed to take appropriate actions to control the violence and warned that it should not be a repeat of earleir years, when the valley witnessed the exodus of the minorities.
"The violence in Kishtwar and near by areas should not be approached as a mere communal violence, said Jaitley.
Comparing the events to the violence in 1990 in the Valley, he alleged when the violence occurred last week, the state government officials had not taken enough measures to control the situation.
He added there are reports that a senior functionary of the government could be involved and demanded this aspect be probed.
He asked an explanation for no arrest was made although hundreds of shops were smashed and many people were undergone for attacks.
He recalled that in the past when such a situation arose then home minister Shivraj Patil and later his successor P Chidambaram had taken all-party delegations to help people exhaust their anger and calm down tempers but now an "iron curtain" has been imposed so that nobody enters the state.
Hitting out at the Jammu and Kashmir government, Jaitley said the state of Jammu and Kashmir is not property of any one family.
Participating in the debate, BSP chief mayawati urged to impose President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a failure was palpable in checking violence in Kishtwar area.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said, "It is with a deep sense of agony and anguish I point out that what happened in Kishtwar is not a localised law and order problem but something of a larger magnitude...Transgression on the Line of Control has increased. Militant's infiltration has increased."
Seeking Centre's intervention in the matter, he said it should be probed why laxity was shown by authorities there in controlling the situation.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool) sought strong measures by central and state forces including deployment of armed forces to control the situation.
Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) sought the deploying the armed forces in the area to enhance the controlling measures. At the same time, he said that he respected the democratically elected government.
Shashi Bhushan Behra (BJD), Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) and Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) too demanded immediate steps to check the situation. Paswan said calling a Jammu Bandh on the issue would further deteriorate the situation.
Karan Singh (Cong) said the Centre should not "simply sit" on problems faced by Jammu and Kashmir. He suggested that the government should confront them and take "bold and creative decisions."
D Raja (CPI) said that Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive state and the Centre should tread cautiously.
He agreed with BSP chief Mayawati's demand for an high-level inquiry into the issue.
He said the country does not belong to one community.
Insisting that the situation in violence-hit Jammu and Kashmir is under control, the Centre on Monday said it will extend all help to the state government in maintaining law and order and asserted that the repeat of forced migration witnessed in 1990 will not be allowed. Finance minister P Chidambaram, who made a statement in Rajya Sabha on behalf of indisposed home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, defended the decision of the state government not to allow BJP leader Arun Jaitley to visit Kishtwar town, the scene of communal violence.
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