Says Interlocutor not appointed for sightseeing
SRINAGAR: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that special representative, Dineshwar Sharma has not been appointed for sightseeing and appealed to “right-minded” people to come forward for peace.
“Talks can happen with anyone and they need not be like-minded, but they should be right-minded,” said Singh offering an olive branch to the Hurriyat Conference.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Home Minister said, the Government’s approach is “goli se nahi, gale lagaane se”.
“Don’t forget that Atal Bihari Vajpayee (former prime minister) used to talk about Jamhooriyat (democracy), Kashmiriyat and Insaaniat.
“Today, I want to ask those who are wielding the gun, do they believe in democracy,” he said.
Addressing reporters here, he said that some forces want to mislead the innocent youth of Jammu and Kashmir) and they don’t want the situation to change. Expressing his agony, he said while their own children obtain the education, others are misled to take up stones and asked what kind of justice was that. He appealed from the “bottom of his heart” that the youth of J&K should be considered as their own children and no one should be allowed to play with their future. “They are not only children of J&K but of India,” he said. “So the decision was taken to withdraw about 10,000 cases against first-time offenders of stone pelting,” he said.
He said Pakistan should stop cross-border “terrorism” and can take help from neighbours if it was not able to do so alone. He said some want to destabilize India but they cannot stop India’s economic progress.
He reiterated that keeping in mind the interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government took the decision to suspend offensive operations during the holy month of Ramazan.
Rajnath informed that he reviewed the security situation in the state and arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra. He also reviewed the implementation of PM special package for J&K. He also congratulated the State Government for efficient implementation of various projects.
To strengthen J&K police infrastructure, he said, Rs 174 crores and for procurement of security equipment Rs 500 crores were sanctioned. Remuneration for SPOs numbering more than 5,400 was increased to Rs 6,000 from Rs 3,000. The youth of the state were given employment through recruitment in CAPF, Army and IRB and women are getting 33% representation.
He said India was the only country where all important religions of the world were being practiced.
“There is no Islamic country in the world that has all the 72 sects of Islam. If there is any country where all these sects can be found, it is India. (Then why) so much of hatred for that India,” he said. (GNS)
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