PM Narendra Modi met an opposition delegation from Kashmir to discuss the crisis.
Highlights
- PM Modi met delegation from Kashmir opposition today
- PM indicated centre may be considering political solution to end crisis
- Army had appealed for calm, called for a dialogue among all stakeholders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today emphasised that there must be dialogue to find a solution to the unrest that has roiled Kashmir for over a month, and called on all political parties to reach out to the people of the Valley.
Here is your 10-point cheat-sheet to this story:
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) issued a statement after he met opposition leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, quoting the PM as saying "we need to find a permanent and lasting solution to the problem within the framework of the Constitution". He also said all political parties must work together to find that solution.
Expressing deep pain, the Prime Minister said "those who have 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."
The statement comes amid a strong demand from opposition parties for dialogue to break the cycle of violence that has left almost 70 people dead in the Valley and several thousands injured, many of them security personnel.
Top sources told NDTV that the government is willing to engage all mainstream stake holders to bring peace back to the Valley. "What you saw today was also a dialogue to find a solution," said minister of state in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, referring to the meeting with opposition leaders.
But the government is clear that any dialogue will not include separatists, who it accuses of fueling the violent protests in the Kashmir Valley since July 8, when Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed by security forces.
At a rally in Jammu on Sunday Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused Pakistan and separatists of instigating the trouble saying, "Now this time, a serious situation has emerged in which Pakistan, separatists and religious forces have joined hands and now with a new way, they are attacking the integrity of India."
He said people who have been throwing stones at security forces "are not satyagrahis (protesters) but aggressors. If a police post manned by 10 police personal is attacked by 2000 stone throwers, it is an attack, but some people do not realise it."
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who led the delegation that met the PM today, criticised the minister's comment saying "these statements are designed to alienate people more. If you want to keep making these sort of hawkish statements, you will simply lose the people, even if you get to keep the land. Then don't blame anyone."
Mr Abdullah welcomed the PM's statement after their meeting. "We look forward to working together to find a lasting solution to problems of Jammu and Kashmir", he tweeted.
The delegation of opposition leaders also asked the Centre to ensure that security forces stop using pellet guns to control violent crowds. Pellets have caused most of injuries among civilians, with many people losing eyesight.
Post a comment