Palvai Govardhan Reddy is seen napping behind MoS Home RPN Singh
The communal violence in Kishtwar in Kashmir was the focal point of Parliament today, but one MP was able to sleep through it all.
During Finance Minister P Chidambaram's statement on the clashes that began on Eid on Friday, Palvai Govardhan Reddy of the Congress could be seen napping.
Three people have been killed and more than 20 injured in the Kashmir violence. Six towns are under curfew.
Mr Reddy, the sleeping MP, is elected to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh.
"So far, two Muslims and one Hindu have died in the clashes. All of us are Indians. Three Indian lives have been lost and that is a matter of great regret," Mr Chidambaram told Parliament. He was filling in for Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who is unwell.
Arun Jaitley, a top leader of the BJP, has alleged that the state government in Kashmir reacted too slowly in calling in the police when the riots began in Kishtwar, 140 kms south of Jammu, after prayers for Eid on Friday.
Omar Abdullah, the chief minister, has strongly refuted those reports.
The army has been patrolling Kishtwar and five other towns that are still under curfew.
10 people have been arrested for the violence in Kishtwar. Public and private property had been set on fire along with vehicles.
Some residents have alleged that members of the Village Defence Committees, semi-official local groups armed by the government to fight militants in their neighbourhood, used weapons during Friday's clashes.
Mr Abdullah has said the government was considering options, including a possible recall of weapons from the committees.