India’s Future Cannot Exist Without The Future Of Kashmir

“They push them into the fire by sending them to attack security establishments”, she said, while stressing that she stands for peaceful resolution of the problem.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti address a press conference in Srinagar on Thursday.

“What happened in 2010 had a reason”. So I appeal all brothers and sisters not to play with the future of Kashmiris. The minister also asserted that the government was ready to talk to everybody under the ambit of jamhooriyat (democracy), insaniyat (humanity) and Kashmiriyat. A three-member delegation of Panthers Party also met him.

“Rajnath Singh carried the same message and that is what Modi is expected to tell Mehbooba”, one of the sources said.

As journalists kept asking questions about her role in dealing with the situation, Singh tried to mediate by telling scribes: “Mehboobaji is from among you”.

About 68 civilians and two policemen have been killed and thousands of people injured in the unrest triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. “Or that 15-year-old boy outside the Army camp; had he gone there to fetch milk?”.

He insisted that his visits to Kashmir show his seriousness about the issue. “We have to reach out to them”, she said. Mehbooba asked, visibly agitated over a question.

“I’ve told CM Mehbooba Mufti that an all-party delegation should visit the state and preparations should be made for that”, Singh said.

As a delegation of mainstream political parties was in a meeting with home minister, the separatist groups asked people to march towards the Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar on 27 August and ask the GoC to vacate the state.

‘We are sad about the situation in the Valley, ‘ said Rajnath Singh in Kashmir. Ninety-five percent people don’t want violence. But the minister promised he will keep coming back to the valley to hear what the Kashmiris want to say.

The Home Minister said young children and youths, who should have taken pen or laptops, have picked up stones to pelt on security forces. “The 5% who mislead kids into pelting stones don’t represent Kashmiris”, Mufti said. Within two-to-four days, an expert committee will submit report on pellet guns. Singh said that soon there will be the alternative to pellet guns.

She was asked how she justified the alleged disproportionate use of force against Kashmiri protestors when as opposition leader she had criticised the government during a similar unrest in 2010 for civilian killings.

The security forces fired tear gas and shotguns to disperse the crowd, which had defied a curfew to gather on the streets, said local police superintendent, Rayees Mohammad Bhat.

Then, Singh also got up reluctantly and the press interaction being held at Mehbooba’s residence ended abruptly.

“Forces have been deployed earlier too and same is the case this time”, he said.