Rajnath urges Kashmiri youths to stop Pak sponsored agenda of stone pelting

This comes after stone pelting led to the death of 3 civilians, injured over 60 security personnel

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday accused Pakistan of trying to destabilise India and said cross-border terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir egged on youths to stone security forces.

The Minister urged the Kashmiri youths not to fall prey to Pakistan sponsored propaganda to indulge in stone pelting during encounters in the state.

"Not only the state, the terrorists are trying to destabilise the whole country through their cowardly acts," Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.

"The whole country is aware of this act of Pakistan. Our security forces are retaliating against them in their own language," he said.

Singh's response came after Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy raised the issue of stone pelting on security forces leading to the death of three civilians and injuries to over 60 security personnel.

Responding, Rajnath Singh said: "A new trend has begun in Kashmir. When our security forces go to villages in search of terrorists, the youths of the region start pelting stones on security forces.

"Such stone pelters are being misled by Pakistan-sponsored forces. Groups operating from Pakistan use Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms to mobilise youth to provoke them for stone pelting," he said.

Rajnath Singh said that the security forces will continue to give a befitting reply to terrorists and infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir and also expressed confidence that India will defeat all forms of terrorism.