Union ministers Jitendra Singh and Hansraj Ahir met J&K Governor N N Vohra and CM Mufti separately today and assured the state government of all-out support from the Centre in maintaining law and order.
Union ministers Jitendra Singh and Hansraj Ahir met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti separately today and assured the state government of all-out support from the Centre in maintaining law and order.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Singh and Minister of State for Home Affairs Ahir, part of a central delegation visiting Jammu and Kashmir to assess security measures for Amarnath pilgrims in the wake of a terrorist attack, called on the chief minister at her residence here this evening, an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said the two ministers expressed deep anguish over yesterday's attack in which seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed.
The Amarnath yatra is a symbol of Kashmir's composite culture and the perpetrators of the attack on pilgrims stand exposed before the people of the state, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today. Speaking to reporters here, Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the Kashmir of 2017, like India of 2017, has a population of which over 65 per cent are below the age of 40.
They are capable of making their own judgements, he said.
I think the perpetrators stand exposed before the people of Kashmir, the minister said. "This yatra itself is a symbol of Kashmir's composite tradition. This is a yatra where people of one faith undertake the pilgrimage and the people of the other faith act as hosts.
I think this is one of the most distinct examples," Singh said. Kashmir, he said, has been proud of this tradition.
Asked about the condemnation of the attack by Kashmiri civil society, trade and tourism bodies as well as by separatists and militant organisations, the Union minister said all should rise above the political and ideological lines.
Singh also said that a security meeting is going to take place later tonight where it would be decided whether to handover the inquiry of the attack to National Investigation Agency (NIA) or not.
"We are going to have a security meeting late this evening and we will come back with whatever conclusions are drawn," he said.
Asked whether there was a security lapse, the Union minister said that he would not like to engage in that kind of a debate or discussion "on an issue as sensitive as this".
"I think it is best left to security experts. Let them come out with their inferences and as a political establishment we will follow it up," he said.
Asked if there was a need to increase security for the yatra he again replied "we leave it to the security experts".
He said that compensation had been announced for the victims of the attack.
"The state cabinet has also taken the decision this morning. In addition to that the Gujarat state has also announced compensation," he said.
The Union minister visited the two injured pilgrims undergoing treatment at the SKIMS hospital at Soura on the outskirts of the city here.
He said the injured were being looked after very well.
"I must compliment the doctors and Dr Ahanger, the Director here (of SKIMS), the injured are speaking very high of them and in fact in another few days, may be in just two or three days, it may be possible even to shift them back. One belongs to Gujarat and another to Maharashtra," he said.
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