Not appropriate to judge Mehbooba's remark on Wani: Jitendra Singh

With the opposition parties seeking an explanation on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's assertion that Hizbul Mujahideen commander 'Burhan Wani would have been given a second chance', Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Friday said that it would not be appropriate to make a judgmental statement on such a sensitive issue.

"I don't think it is right for me to make a judgmental statement on a issue which is as sensitive as this and is being dealt by security forces in extremely difficult situation," said Singh.

Facing continued public unrest for the 20th day, Mehbooba yesterday said that she would have given Wani "a chance had she known he was trapped in the encounter".

"How are we supposed to know everything about every encounter? As far as I know, what I heard from the police and the army, who said they only knew that there were three militants inside the house but did not know who they were," Mehbooba told reporters.

"I believe that had they known he was there, Wani would have been given one chance as the situation was fast improving in the state. He would have been given a chance," she added.

At least 47 people died and around 5,500 others, including 3,000 security personnel, have been injured in the violence that rocked the Valley since July 8 when Wani was killed in an encounter.