PDP legislator Waheed Parra says MLAs in J&K assembly fighting India’s war in Kashmir, their security cannot be compromised

Peoples Democratic Party MLA from Pulwama of southern Kashmir Waheed Para on Saturday raised concerns over security arrangements for MLAs and political leaders who are fighting India’s war in Kashmir.

Para said that his party leader and former Chief Minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti was evicted from her official residence after August 5 2019 which tantamounts to “attempt to murder” as she is currently staying in a faroff house of her relative which falls on “militant movement track.”

The PDP MLA while condemning the recent attack on former chief minister of J&K Farooq Abdullah urged the government to do a course correction and take serious note of reducing security details of legislators and leaders like Tariq Karra of Congress and Sajad Lone of People’s Conference. He said that attack on Abdullah reflected “security collapse” in J&K.

“Security in J&K is an insurance. We are the people who are fighting India’s war in Kashmir. 90 MLAs of this assembly are fighting like the seven lakh forces. Security should not be politicised and this house should take serious note of these issues,” said Para during the ongoing budget session of J&K assembly in the winter capital of Jammu. He said that security is a non negotiable necessity in J&K.

“Mehboobaji was evicted from her official residence after August 5 2019 and she doesn’t have a house of her own even today. Denying former CM security and secured residence is also attempt to murder. We requested this govt to allot a secured residence to her which is her entitlement,” said Parra adding, “This govt has not taken any step for that. We can complaint about BJP when this government will do some course correction.”

Para questioned the government over issuing a notice to Sajad Lone to vacate his official accommodation and downgrading the security of Karra, asking the Chief Minister to clarify the rationale behind such decisions.

Meanwhile, Lone also condemned attack on Abdullah while drawing a direct and painful parallel to his own father Abdul Gani Lone’s assassination demanding accountability on the political use of security. “Whichever government it may be, it has used security for political ends. And perhaps today’s government is doing it too. But we have to learn from it,” said Lone. He called for an unconditional pledge that security would never again be made a tool of political pressure.