Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury today claimed that Kashmir has come to resemble a "concentration camp" due to the massive deployment of security personnel and snapped communication links in anticipation of widespread protests against the scrapping of its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said from the Red Fort earlier that he would solve the Kashmir issue by embracing the people of the state and not through bullets. But, going by the developments, Kashmir seems to have turned into a concentration camp," news agency PTI quoted Mr Chowdhury, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, as saying.
The Congress leader said the situation in Kashmir had reached a very sore point. "Internet services have been snapped, shops and businesses are closed, free movement of people has been stopped, and locals are not allowed to congregate. They are being forced to remain indoors," he added.
Mr Chowdhury also condemned the manner in which political leaders have been placed under house arrest and no political leader from Delhi was being allowed to enter Kashmir. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was stopped at Srinagar airport and sent back earlier today.
Earlier this week, the government had revoked the provisions of Article 370 through a presidential order and then divided the state into two union territories with the parliament's approval. The step was taken a day after the government placed National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference head Sajjad Lone under house arrest as a "precautionary measure".
He, however, asserted that Kashmir was an "internal issue" that can brook no external interference. "No country has the right to intervene in our internal matter. It is up to us how our government wants to run the country. Our country has the right to decide which law to pass in the nation," he told news agency ANI, backtracking from an earlier remark in the Lok Sabha where he claimed that "the United Nations has been monitoring the Kashmir dispute since 1948".
The Congress leader also clarified that he was seeking answers from the government, and wasn't against the country's stand on the matter. "Questioning the government does not mean opposing the country. We are citizens of the nation too, and we have the right to know," he said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Sketches Of 3 Terrorists In J&K's Doda Released, Rs 5 Lakh Reward Announced Another Encounter In J&K, Soldier Killed In Action, "Pakistani" Dead "Budget Of Compulsion, Step-Motherly Treatment": Opposition Attacks Centre At Olympics Opening Ceremony, Drag Parody Of 'The Last Supper' Draws Flak Centre Fact-Checks Mamata Banerjee's Mic-Off Claim, She Hits Back Why Was Woman In Bengaluru Hostel Murdered? What Initial Probe Reveals 5 Children Among 8 Killed After Car Falls Into Gorge In J&K's Anantnag Rape accused, Missing For 5 Months, Arrested In J&K's Ramban: Police "Goa Would Have Collapsed Had The Congress Rule Continued": Kiren Rijiju Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.