New Delhi: No progress is taking place in Jammu and Kashmir. The region does not have access to 4G internet facility unlike the rest of the country, said National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah Saturday.
Addressing the Lok Sabha for the first time since his release from detention, the National Conference president said, “Jammu and Kashmir situation is such that where progress was supposed to happen, there is no progress. Today our children, shopkeepers don’t have a 4G facility that is there in the rest of the country. How will they study, get education, when everything these days is on the internet?”
Abdullah said the Union Territory of J&K should have the same rights as the rest of the country for it to progress. “If India is progressing, does Jammu and Kashmir have no right to progress with the rest of the country?” he asked.
The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar also said that the Army has agreed that the three men were killed in Shopian by mistake and the government should provide a hefty compensation.
Also read: Frequent internet ban is like digital apartheid, isolates Kashmiris from world — rights group
‘India needs to hold talks with our neighbour’
Referring to the border skirmishes, the National Conference leader said India should also talk to our “neighbour” (Pakistan) the way we have been talking to China.
“Border skirmishes are increasing and people are dying every day. We have to find a way to get out of this situation … we need to find some solution. The way you are talking to China, the same way we should talk to our neighbour to find a way,” he said.
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and said the situation in the region is a cause for concern. He also demanded that the 230 political leaders, including PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, who are still under detention should be released.
Also read: Militancy in Kashmir peaked without 4G, but Modi govt keeps forgetting this in court