JK PANORAMA SEPTEMBER ISSUE

aaya hoon. Mein ne kaha, sab se baat karna
chata hoon, baat karne wale log toh aane
chahiyein. Yeh koi nahin kaeh sakta ki hum ne
mana kiya. Mein ne pehle bhi kaha, Jitney bhi
stakeholders hain, job hi mujh say baat karna
chahate hain, mein sab say baat karunga.
Mein kitni baar kahoon, kin alfaaz mein
kahoon’. (Whenever I have come here, I have
come with an open heart, open mind. I said I
want to speak to everyone. People who have
to talk should step forward. Nobody can say
we have refused to talk. I have said earlier as
well, we are ready to talk to all stakeholders.
Whosoever wants to talk, I will talk to him.
How many times do I repeat it? In what words
should I say it?).
The main opposition Congress party,
however, put the ball in the government's
court, saying Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti
has been speaking of a dialogue with all
stakeholders to solve the Kashmir problem.
"But she is shying away from naming who
these stakeholders are." "Modi's election win
was 90 per cent because of Kashmir. In our
rule, one soldier was beheaded by Pakistani
troops (along the Line of Control), but such
instances have happened a number of times
now in their (BJP) rule, and still the prime
minister is silent," Azad said. The former chief
minister of Jammu and Kashmir said the
Congress government had made south
Kashmir militancy-free, but the region had
been on boil since the PDP-BJP coalition
came to power in the state.
"We had made south Kashmir
militancy-free during my tenure (as chief
minister) in 2007. But, where is south
Kashmir today? It is boiling. No one is coming
to Kashmir, no tourist. The number of
ceasefire violations in these three years is
more than the total in 10 years of
UPA," he claimed. "So many soldiers have
been killed, common people injured ...And
the way small kids including girls have lost
their eyes, it did not happen during our time,”
he said.
The Union Home Minister observed
that situation in Kashmir is improving with
each passing day and Centre would do
everything to maintain peace here.
In his press conference at Srinagar,
Singh assured people of Kashmir-who are
facing legal challenge on Article 35-A –that
‘We will not do anything against their
sentiments of the people here. We will
respect them’.
These are very positive signals
emanating from Delhi, or at least, that seems
to us. That the Home Minister has not laid
preconditions for talks is welcome. The
openness of mind and heart at the home
ministry is encouraging. Moreover, the
assurance of the government on 35-A too is
reflection of its rethink on the stand it has
taken on Article 35A.
He said the government is fully aware
of the extremely challenging circumstances
the Police and Security Forces are working
under, and is making all out efforts for the
security and welfare of the Police and
Paramilitary personnel. He said a trauma
centre has been sanctioned and bullet proof
vehicles will be provided at all police stations
09 September 2017 JK