Want emotional ties with Kashmir: Rajnath
Asks security forces to avoid pellet guns
Srinagar, July 24: Appealing to people in Kashmir to help restore normalcy, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the Centre wants an emotional relationship with the state and not just need-based, even as he warned Pakistan not to interfere in India's internal affairs.
Sending a strong message to Pakistan, Rajnath also said the neighbouring country should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday met union Home Affairs minister Rajnath Singh here at Nehru guest house this forenoon to discuss the prevailing unrest in the Valley.
National Conference delegation, led by its working president and former chef minister Omar Abdullah met the minister.
Singh on Saturday met “15 delegations” and some entrepreneurs who appealed him to initiate dialogue with all stakeholders in the state for restoring peace in the Valley.
He chaired a security review meeting attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, bureaucrats, police officials and those from the state and central intelligence agencies besides top officials of paramilitary forces.
Addressing a press conference here after winding up his two-day visit to the state after holding talks with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and several delegations both in Srinagar and Anantnag, Rajnath said the Centre will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state.
“As far as the Government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we don't just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir,” he said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state.
Ruling out any dialogue with Pakistan in resolving Kashmir issue, Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said that talks will be held with “whosoever the centre can” after restoration of peace and normalcy in the Kashmir Valley and taking into confidence the state's chief minister.
“Let normalcy and peace be restored, then we will talk to whosoever we can. We will take chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir into confidence before talking to anyone,” Singh said.
“Whatever we will do we will do that in consultations with the Jammu and Kashmir government,” he said.
Attacking Pakistan on its role in Kashmir, he said, “Its role has not been ‘paak' (pure) on Kashmir. Pakistan should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir.”
Asking people to give their “constructive suggestions” to bring peace in the state, he said, “There is no need of any third force to improve the situation in Kashmir.”
Singh hit out at Pakistan, which he said is itself affected by terrorism and to end it on one hand it is killing terrorists after entering the Lal Masjid, while on the other it is asking our youth in Kashmir to take to arms. “This must stop,” he said.
Appealing youth to not to resort to stone-pelting, Singh said he has asked the security forces to refrain from using pellet guns as much as possible even as he regretted the loss of lives.
On the prevailing unrest in the Valley, the minister said that he is “worried “on the situation in the state.
While “regretting” the loss of civilians who were killed in the ongoing unrest, the minister said that he “condoles” with the families who lost their dear ones.
The minister also said that centre will provide treatment to the injured civilians in hospitals in the country. “Those civilians who have eye injuries will be airlifted for treatment. I have told the chief minister of the state that government of India will help in treatment of all the injured,” he said.
On pellet guns, the minister said that he has spoken about pellet guns in the parliament and he has directed to set up a review committee which will submit a report after two months.
On the report of three interlocutors on Kashmir in 2010, the minister said that he will see the report and “ask his ministry whether there has been any consideration and progress on that report”.
On former home minister P Chidambaram's suggestion of “grand bargain” on Kashmir, Singh said that he will see the suggestions.
The minister was flanked by Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, Joint secretary home, JK deputy chief minister Dr Nirmal Singh, and PWD minister A R Veeri.
Before winding up his press, Singh said that he was accompanied by Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, Joint secretary home. “If we have come here, we have come with some purpose and do something,” he said.
Authorities earlier lifted curfew from four of the 10 districts in the Kashmir Valley.
Restrictions imposed in the rest of the areas were slightly eased as the ground situation has showed marginal signs of improvement after 15 days of heightened tension across the valley.
