‘No local youth joined terrorism in 2025’
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Feb 5: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, today claimed that statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would be restored only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fully satisfied that lasting peace has returned to the region and that incidents like the killings of school-going students Tufail Mattoo and Wamiq Farooq do not recur.
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Both Mattoo and Farooq-class 12th and 7th students-died in the 2010 unrest in Kashmir Valley when Omar Abdullah was the Chief Minister of then State.
“I am a strong proponent of statehood myself but it cannot be restored at the cost of innocent lives. It would be restored only when there is complete assurance that no Kashmiri child would again be separated from their loved ones due to the bullets and pellets,” Sharma said during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s address.
According to him, the Union Government’s efforts in this direction (to ensure peace) have already started showing encouraging signs from the Kashmir Valley, where not even a single local youth joined militancy in the year 2025.
“This is a significant achievement, which reflects the commitment of the Narendra Modi Government towards peace,” he said.
Sharma, however, said that Pakistan has been frequently trying to disturb the peace and law and order situation in the region “but our security forces are also ensuring that no terrorist entering our soil from across the border is spared come what may.”
“We will kill every Pakistani terrorist entering our soil. Even if surgical strikes or Operation Sindhoor-like operations are required, we will not hesitate to eliminate the enemy even in their own territory,” Sharma said.
Speaking about the Lieutenant Governor’s address, Sharma termed it as a “fraud with the people” committed by the National Conference Government.
He alleged that the document contained nothing new and was merely a copy-paste of promises made in the last year’s vision document.
He said the address was aimed at covering up the failures of the National Conference Government.
The LoP said whenever the BJP leaders raise people’s concerns in the Assembly, the treasury benches start referring to the last 10-11 years, despite the fact that the BJP remained in alliance with the PDP for only three years.
He said the remaining period was under President’s Rule, during which the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, functioned as a neutral constitutional authority with no allegiance to any political party.
He questioned why the ruling party continues to attribute the entire period to the BJP.
Sharma said the Lieutenant Governor belongs to all and not to any particular party, adding that blaming the Centre in the Assembly was unfortunate.
He asked whether the J&K Assembly is meant to function as Parliament, stating that NC leaders should raise their questions before the Prime Minister through their MPs in Parliament instead of targeting the Centre from the Assembly.
Sharma said the role of the Assembly is to discuss issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and that the ruling party cannot hide its failures by levelling counter-allegations against the Centre.
He reiterated that the LG’s Address was an attempt to conceal the failures of the NC Government.
He further accused the NC of raising false hopes among the people before coming to power and failing to fulfil those promises.
He said this pattern has existed since 1947, alleging that successive Governments have misled the people.
According to him, the NC was elected not on its past track record but on promises that have not been fulfilled.
Listing those promises, Sharma referred to the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A, free 200 units of electricity, and free gas cylinders.
He termed these as not just political lies but a “moral fraud” with the people.
He said the ruling party should have introspected before promising one lakh jobs within 180 days after assuming power, questioning whether such assurances were feasible.
Sharma said that available information suggests that not more than 1,000 jobs have been provided so far, while over 24,000 jobs have been outsourced in the last 1 to 1.5 years, which, he said, amounts to cheating unemployed youth waiting for merit-based recruitment.
He questioned the transparency of these outsourced appointments and asked who these appointees are and how they were selected.
He said this reflects injustice towards the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to free electricity, Sharma said the Chief Minister had promised free power supply to 8 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households in the last budget.
He asked how many families have actually received free electricity so far and questioned the financial viability of the promise, stating that around Rs 3,018 crore annually would be required to meet the commitment.
He said the Government plans to provide free electricity through rooftop solar panels under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana but questioned the contribution of the UT Government in the scheme.
Sharma also criticised the NC for opposing smart meters earlier and later supporting them after coming to power, calling it a dangerous dual mindset.
“The Government could have provided relief to poor consumers by reducing a fixed amount in electricity bills instead of linking benefits to smart meter readings now,” he suggested.
On allegations related to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, Sharma said no BJP leader celebrated its closure.
He alleged that political parties ruling Kashmir for decades, particularly the National Conference had instead celebrated shutdowns, burning of schools, and disruption of normal life in the name of turmoil.
Replying to NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq on the issue of killings on July 13, 1931, Sharma said those killed were accused of treason against the then ruler Maharaja Hari Singh.
“But you killed school-going students like Tufail Mattoo and Wamiq Farooq in the 2010 unrest. Were they also accused of treason? No, they were not. You owe an apology to their and other innocent Kashmiri children’s families in Kashmir who died due to your incompetence in the last 36 years,” the LoP, Sunil Sharma said, while referring to the treasury benches.
He also referred to past accords, including the 1986 accord with Rajiv Gandhi and the 1996 promises of autonomy, alleging that none of these commitments were fulfilled after NC rose to the power.
Sharma said even resolutions moved in the Assembly were rejected when Omar Abdullah was part of the NDA Government at the Centre.
He accused Kashmir-based political parties of maintaining proximity with Delhi for their own benefits while portraying the Centre as an enemy to ordinary Kashmiris.
He also questioned the objective of the NC leaders’ protest outside the Assembly despite the house being the most powerful institution in the UT.
Reiterating his stand, Sharma said statehood would be restored only when there is complete peace and assurance that no Kashmiri youth would be harmed by guns or pellets.
He also opposed discussions on separatist Yasin Malik in the Assembly, saying the House should focus on local issues.
On Pir Panchal, Sharma said he respects the region as Panchal Desh and its people, adding that his party provided roads and reservation benefits, while alleging that ruling parties had deprived the area of basic facilities for the past over three decades.
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