New Delhi, March 15: Both Houses of Parliament today unanimously passed resolutions condemning Pakistan for interfering in India's internal affairs by eulogizing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged inside Tihar jail.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha passed a resolution asserting that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including the territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, “is and shall always be an integral part of India”.
Emphasising that any attempt to interfere in India's internal affairs will be met “resolutely and with complete unity” of the nation, it asked Pakistan to fulfil its commitment not to allow terrorism from its soil if it wants peaceful relations with India.
“This House totally rejects the Resolution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on March 14,2013,” said the resolution adopted unanimously by both the Houses after concern was expressed over the development.
Pakistan's National Assembly yesterday passed a resolution condemning the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and demanded that his body be returned to his family.
“The House rejects interference in the internal affairs of India and calls upon the National Assembly of Pakistan to desist from such acts of support for extremist and terrorist elements,” the resolution said.
Noting that Pakistan has committed that it would not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against India, the resolution said “only fulfilment of this commitment can be the basis for peaceful relations with Pakistan.”
The resolution was read out by Speaker Meira Kumar in the Lok Sabha and Chairman Hamid Ansari in the Rajya Sabha.
Speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar said in the House that the nation will not tolerate Pakistan's interference in India's internal affairs.
Meanwhile, India has called off a hockey series with Pakistan which was scheduled to be held from April 5 to 15, in a sign of hardening of stance vis-a-vis the neighbouring country.
Earlier, there was uproar in both Houses of Parliament today over the Pakistan National Assembly resolution.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley lashed out at the PM's remark of “going the extra mile” for improving relations with Pakistan.
“Forget going the extra mile, we should not go the extra yard. On the contrary, Pakistan should now go the extra two miles for us to resume normal relations”, said Jaitley.
“Pakistan”, said Jaitley, “does not deserve an extra mile for resumption of normal relations. It is now clear that Pakistan has strong sympathy towards terrorists in India. There should be no question of normalisation of relations.”
Arun Jaitley asked the government to reconsider its engagements with Pakistan in light of yesterday's resolution.
BJP and other Opposition parties demanded a resolution condemning Pakistan's interference in India's internal affairs.
“Besides interfering in India's internal affairs, theresolution is an official statement by the entire polity of Pakistan endorsing the terrorist attacks,” Jaitley said raising the issue when the House met for the day.
New Delhi, he said, always suspected the hand of Pakistan in the Parliament attack. “Yesterday's resolution seems to have confirmed our fears,” he said.
Jaitely said the resolution was “an official stamp of approval on one of the worst terrorist attacks.”
“Government of India will have to seriously consider how to deal with Pakistan,” he said, adding, “As long as this resolution remains, we should seriously forget normalizing ties.”
He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been talking about walking an extra mile in normalising ties with Pakistan but after yesterday's resolution, he should “forget walking even an extra inch.”
“Yesterday's resolution seems to have confirmed our fears”that the attacks were planned and executed by Pakistan, he said adding, “Normalisation of relationship would not be possible.”
Jaitley said the beheading of Indian soldiers, blasts in Hyderabad and attack on CRPF camp in Srinagar have finally culminated in the resolution that showed “the intent of Pakistan.”
Attacking UPA government's foreign policy, he cited “failures” in Male.
“If India can be kicked around, then there is something seriously wrong with our foreign policy,” he said, demanding a discussion on the foreign policy.
Several Opposition members associated themselves with Jaitley by raising hands.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said Pakistani Parliament resolution is condemnable and toldthe members that the government was ready for a discussion on the foreign policy.
In the Lok Sabha, BJP members raised slogans and forced adjournments over the Pakistan parliament's move.
Two days before it completes its five-year term, the Pakistan National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, passed the resolution moved by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads a special parliamentary panel on Kashmir.
Besides condemning the hanging of Guru, convicted for the 2001 attack on India's Parliament, the resolution expressed concern at the situation created in Jammu and Kashmir by the execution. The House called for Guru's body to be handed over to his family.
Guru was hanged and buried within Tihar Jail in Delhi in February. His execution triggered protests in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed have vowed to take revenge for the execution.
The parliamentary resolution said the international community should not remain silent spectators in efforts to find a solution to the Kashmir dispute. It said steps should be taken to implement the United Nations Security Council's resolutions on the Kashmir issue.
The resolution called for an end to alleged killings in Jammu and Kashmir and the removal of the army from towns and cities of the Kashmir Valley. It further said all prisoners should be freed and “black laws” repealed.
