The Prime Minister on Monday held a meeting with a joint opposition delegation led by Omar Abdullah to discuss the problems in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a bid to reach out to people of Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed his "deep concern and pain" over the situation there and asked all political parties to work together to find a "permanent and lasting" solution to problems in Jammu and Kashmir. Making an appeal for restoration of normalcy in the Valley where the unrest entered the 45th day, Modi emphasised that there has to be a dialogue.
An official statement issued after his 75-minute-long meeting with a joint opposition delegation led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Prime Minister appreciated the "constructive suggestions" made by them during the talks and reiterated his government's commitment to the welfare of people. The 20-member delegation comprising Omar and seven of his National Conference MLAs, Congress legislators led by PCC Chief G A Mir and CPI-M MLA M Y Tarigami had called on the Prime Minister this morning and made an appeal for a political approach for resolving the crisis in the Valley and to ensure that the "mistakes" of the past are not repeated.
Expressing his "deep concern and pain" at the prevailing situation, the Prime Minister said "those who lost their lives during recent disturbances are part of us, our nation; whether the lives lost are of our youth, security personnel or police, it distresses us."
"Government and the nation stand with the state of Jammu and Kashmir," the Prime Minister said, and suggested that all political parties should reach out to the people and convey the same.
Kashmir unrest was 'pre-planned': Mehbooba Mufti
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti found nothing wrong in opposition leaders meeting PM Modi over the situation in the valley. "We live in a democratic set-up. If opposition leaders meet the Prime Minister or the President, if some solution can be found, it is a good thing," said Mufti.
Contending that the unrest in Kashmir was "pre-planned", Mufti said a "handful of people" were deliberately keeping the Valley on the boil while 95% people were peace-loving and should not be punished for the fault of 5%. She expressed pain that children are being used as a shield by "vested interests" while attacking camps and posts of security forces to incite them, as a result of which innocent kids become a casualty.
Referring to the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight, the Chief Minister said, "there was nothing new in this. Killing of militants has been happening for the past 25 years. I want to tell you this because all this was pre-planned. They were waiting for a reason, a chance to put the state back into that fire in which it was always." She said, "they (those indulging in violence) are only a handful of people. Most Kashmiris want peace. They understand that the kind of freedom Kashmir is enjoying today is not there even in Islamic countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey and Pakistanis. When gun enters a country, it is no more free, no matter how much it claims to be free."
NC President Omar Abdullah thanks PM Modi for hearing them out
The 46-year-old Working President of National Conference Omar told reporters after the meeting that they requested the Prime Minister for finding a political solution to the Kashmir issue so that a lasting peace is ensured in the state as well as in the country.
"I am not going to put words into the Prime Minister's mouth nor am I going to draw further meaning from what he said," Omar said.
"We talked about the same thing that we have been talking with other leaders ever since we arrived in Delhi that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in light of the present crisis, needs to be understood correctly after which a solution is required. We emphasised that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is more of political in nature. Time and again such situations do arise but if we are unable to find a political solution to it, we will be repeating our mistakes again and again," he said.
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