Amit Shah tells partymen to launch outreach program in Kashmir

In the bid to restore normalcy in the Kashmir Valley, Union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah has asked party leaders to reach out the influential people in various sectors like tourism, trade and business, education and civil society and work towards reinvigorating them.

The meeting took place at the BJP headquarters late Monday evening close on the heels of Jammu and Kashmir administration deciding to lift curbs on tourism and allowing tourists to visit the valley from October 10. Besides, BJP state chief Ravindra Raina and Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, several leaders from the state BJP unit attended the meeting.

Sources said J&K governor Satya Pal Malik gave a nod to lift curb on tourism after getting reports from various agencies. The situation in the valley for the past several weeks has been normal with no incidents of agitation being reported.

The Centre is keen to bring Kashmir back to normalcy in view of Pakistan aided growing propaganda in the international arena regarding suppression of human rights in the valley. US state foreign affairs committee is planned to meet on October 22 to conduct a review of the human rights situation in South Asia with Kashmir as the key area of focus.

However, the government is yet to take a decision on lifting the ban on the internet and mobile services in the valley. Sources privy to the meeting said, Shah has also asked the J&K administration to ensure attendance of government employees and take confidence building measures to reopen and increase attendance of students in schools and educational institutions.

Shah also told leaders to begin outreach programmes among the public to inform it about the benefits of abrogating Article 370 and 35-A.