Situation in Kashmir will improve in 2-3 months: Mehbooba

Team Udayavani, Apr 24, 2017, 2:34 PM IST

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated. Though the CM did not specify who the talks would be with, she had earlier invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s policy on Kashmir at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.

“I understand that the coming 2-3 months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated,” she said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh here. She said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.

During the meeting, at which BJP’s general secretary incharge of the state, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mehbooba briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.

The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir. Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governor’s rule in the state, Mehbooba said only the central government could comment on that. The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.

Mehbooba also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Singh told Mehbooba that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.

He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday. At a meeting of the NITI Aayog yesterday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their “own children”.