New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised all political parties for speaking in "one voice" over developments in Kashmir, where violent protests have erupted over the death of a local militant commander.
"Various parties have given statements on Kashmir events which benefitted the country. This has sent a right message and I thank all the parties for the same," Modi said here while addressing an all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on Monday.
He also urged all political parties to keep national interest above any other considerations.
"We represent both the people and parties and there is a need to keep national interests above anything else," he said.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the party will raise the issue of the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Situation in Jammu and Kashmir is a very serious issue, it must be discussed in parliament and the government should be answerable," said Azad, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress has sent a two-member committee, comprising of senior party leaders Salman Khurshid and Ambika Soni, to Kashmir to take stock of the situation and ground realities.
Curfew and a separatist-called shutdown continued for the 10th day on Sunday, crippling normal life across the restive Kashmir Valley with the government ordering schools and colleges to close for one more week amid an information blackout due to a ban on local newspapers.
The shutdown in the Valley started on July 9 in the wake of the death on July 8 of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight with the security forces. At least 40 people have died in clashes since then.
