Centre's delay in establishing peace in Kashmir will lead to bigger problems: JD (U)

The Janata Dal (United) on Thursday alleged that there was utter confusion on the Centre's part to deal with the Kashmir unrest, adding further delay in bringing peace in the Valley would give birth to bigger problems.

Commenting on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's ongoing two-day visit to Kashmir, JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi told ANI that there has been no positive outcome from his visits so far.

"They say they will talk to everyone but then they impose certain conditions. They say an all-party delegation will go there to improve the situation and then they say once the situation improves, we will send an all-party delegation," he said.

Asserting that the all-party delegation should visit Kashmir to establish peace, Tyagi said there should not be further delay on that front.

"The initiatives taken by the Centre and Rajnath Singh ji is not enough as Pakistan is constantly trying to misuse the situation and highlight the ongoing unrest in Kashmir at the international forum," he added while demanding that there should be a dialogue with all sections in the region.

Demanding an immediate ban on the use of pellet guns in the Valley, Tyagi said the extremists should also stop throwing stones.

Reacting to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's claim that 95 percent of the people in the Valley want peace, the JD (U) leader said, "If this would have been the situation, then 5,000 people would not have assembled in the condolence meet of Mufti Sahab and 50,000 would not have assembled to mourn Burhan Wani's death despite curfew in the region."

Targeting the PDP's coalition partner BJP, Tyagi said Mehbooba has forgotten the ground reality in Kashmir and has joined hands with a party which has never supported the aspirations of the people in the Valley.

Addressing a joint press conference in Srinagar earlier today along with Mehbooba, the Home Minister promised to look into alternatives to pellet guns and vowed to keep the doors open to the separatists for talks.

"We are ready to talk to those who believe in Insaaniyat (humanity), Jumhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat," he said.

Promising to bring an all-party delegation to Kashmir to study the situation, Singh also sought people's cooperation to maintain peace and order in the Valley.

Stating that he met more than 300 people besides the leaders of mainstream political parties, Singh said the Centre will set up a nodal agency to interact with the Kashmiris living outside the state.

"In case of any problem, they can contact them. I have appealed to the people to treat Kashmiris like their brethren and instill confidence among the Kashmiri students," he said.

Mehbooba on her part stated that 95 percent population wanted peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

"Only five percent are resorting to violence and they will be dealt as per the law. There are some elements who use children as a shield. They push them into the fire by sending them to attack security establishments," she said, while stressing that she stands for peaceful resolution of the problem.

The Chief Minister claimed that the 2010 and the 2016 agitations "cannot be seen through one prism."

The Home Minister's visit is an effort by the Central Government to restore normalcy in the Valley, which has been reeling under curfew and restrictions since the death of Hijbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani on July 8.