New Delhi:  Blaming the ‘Nehruvian blunder’ for the present impasse in the militancy-hit state, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said ,’ Kashmir today, is a result of successive Congress governments’ mistakes in the state.’

The Minister said if then Prime Minister (Jawaharlal Nehru) has had not intruded into then Home Minister’s domain, situation would have been different today, said Dr Singh.

He was intervening in the debate on statutory resolution, approving the proclamation issued on December 19 imposing President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir, which was adopted earlier.

‘We never said we will not hold elections in Kashmir – we follow a procedure, we are not like certain parties where decisions are taken in the kitchen when the mother and son have their food,’ the Udhampur member said.

There was protracted nightmare of restlessness and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir but government’s intentions cannot be doubted, said Dr Singh in the Lok Sabha.

Dr Singh said there was a phase of dangerous separatism in Kashmir, which is one of the reasons that necessitated imposition of President’s rule.

About forming a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP in 2015, he said the mandate was decided by the people.

Calling the coalition government in the state a ‘typical Indian Marriage’, he said for larger interest, ‘we managed to live together’ keeping with the Indian traditions.

‘We agreed to disagree’ and followed the common minimum programme, he said, adding that ‘development’ was our parivaar’.

The regional parties like NC and PDP, boycotted panchayat elections and betrayed their own people and kept a changing stance, he said.

The parties — PDP, NC and Congress — which did not see eye to eye, came together to form the government in the state, he said, adding that ‘this was the phase of competitive separatism’.

‘In the garb of mainstream parties, these parties were playing separatism,’ he alleged.

Former Chief minister and and NC leader Farooq Abdullah said the problems of Kashmir should be taken with all sincerity by the House and the entire country.

‘If India has to survive, Kashmir problem has to be given priority,’ he said. It has become ‘heaven to hell’ but the troubled state can be brought back to normalcy.

‘We are not Pakistanis, not militants…We have joined this land (India),’ he added.

Saugata Roy, AITC, said President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir was ‘arbitrary and unconstitutional’.

He alleged that that the BJP has ‘limited communal agenda’ and the Governor has violated the Constitution and has not been able to bring peace in the beautiful state of Jammu and Kashmir.

He demanded that polls be held in the state as soon as possible.

Biju Janata Dal leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said the very concept of President’s Rule has been opposed by all regional parties throughout the country.

He said Assembly elections should be held in the state along with General elections next year.

Supriya Sule (NCP) asked the reason behind the imposition of President’s Rule in the state which is ‘undergoing turmoil for past so many years’.

She asked if Panchayat elections could be held in the northern state then why can’t Assembly elections be held in the sensitive state.

Mohammed Salim, CPI-M, said first the discussion was held and then a decision was taken, but ‘now we take a decision and then discuss that decision. ‘

He said President’s rule was governance by proxy and this does not solve any problem, adding that ‘The policy in Kashmir was ill-thought and the issue was mishandled.’

He said demands of the state should be discussed in the House till assembly elections were held there.

Mulayam Singh (Samajwadi Party) said the matter can be resolved if the Centre takes a firm resolve.

Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena) demanded that Kashmiri Pandits should be brought back to the state and alleged that no government had made any efforts in this direction.

Dr P Venugopal (AIADMK), Bhagwant Mann (AAP) and Jay Prakakash Narayan (RJD) also spoke.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved the resolution stating, ‘That this House approves the Proclamation issued by the President on 19th December, 2018 under Article 356 on the Constitution of India in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.’

The resolution was passed in the House by voice vote.

The proclamation of December 19 said the President “is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India, as applicable to the state.” It said the powers of the state legislature shall be under the “authority of Parliament”.