LS clash over J038;K varsities

The discussion on the Bill to amend the Central Universities Act,giving Jammu and Kashmir two central varsities,gave rise to...

The discussion on the Bill to amend the Central Universities Act,giving Jammu and Kashmir two central varsities,gave rise to a peculiar clash in the Lok Sabha between Congress MP Lal Singh and BJP MP Anurag Singh Thakur which turned into a confrontation between the hills states of Jamp;K and Himachal Pradesh.

The issue led to heated exchanges between Congress and BJP MPs after Udhampur Congress MP Lal Singh charged that saffron party leaders were responsible for dividing Jammu and Kashmir and justified the centres decision to set up two Central Universities in the state. Jammu-Kashmir me aag lagane wale inke party ke log hai. Hurriyat aur BJP ne hamare state ka bedagarq kar diya His party leaders are responsible for setting Jammu-Kashmir on fire. Hurriyat and BJP have ruined our state, Singh charged pointing towards Thakur,BJP MP from Hamirpur.

Singh took offence that Thakur in his speech mentioned that the people of Himachal were not getting two universities because they were peace loving and not resorting to violent protests like their counterparts in Jamp;K. Thakur had demanded that Himachal too should get two universities and feared that making an exception for Jamp;K would encourage regionalism.

What does he mean by mentioning that the people of Himachal are peace loving? He is talking about sacrifices. People of Jammu amp; Kashmir have made more sacrifices than Himachalfrom freedom struggle to Kargil. Singh retorted. At this,BJP members said Singh was unnecessarily making an issue out of it and urged the Chair to control him.

However,despite Francisco Sardina,who was in the Chair,directing him to speak on the issue,Singh took jibes at the BJP. He even took the name of BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and accused him of igniting passions in Jamp;K.

Later,however,BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain welcomed the step to give two central universities to Jamp;K,underlining that the BJP had demanded that Jammu should get a separate one.

Replying after the discussion,HRD Minister Kapil Sibal urged Thakur not to view the issue as regionalism and justified the move underling that it was to ensure peace and unity of the troubled state.