Help bring in peace or we may lose another generation to darkness: Rajnath to Kashmiris

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, here to review the ongoing suspension of security-related operations during Ramzan, today appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to help bring in peace saying else "we might lose another generation of the state to darkness".

He also said the Centre was ready to hold dialogue with all "right-minded" people if not "like-minded", a statement seen as an olive branch to the separatists.

In his hectic rounds of engagements during the day, the home minister held talks with officials to review the unilateral ceasefire during the Ramzan, felicitated sports persons and held meetings with Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Addressing a press conference later, he said that the Centre was ready to hold talks with all right-minded people and Pakistan, provided the neighbouring country stopped terror activities emanating from its soil.

During a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Sports Stadium, the home minister made a passionate appeal to the youth not to fall prey to the propaganda campaign being carried out from across the border and their stooges in the state.

He said the central and the state governments would make every effort to change the "face and destiny" of the state by empowering the youth with education and helping them excel in sports, and added that New Delhi took into consideration the fact that youngsters had been "mislead" into stone pelting on security forces before taking a decision to withdraw such cases against them.

"We believe that children anywhere are same. We understand that a few youths were misled into stone pelting... Children can make mistakes... (And) that is why we decided to withdraw the cases...," Singh said, adding that "with the help of Jammu and Kashmir government, we will change the face and destiny of the state".

"There is extreme love in the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Jammu and Kashmir. It is our responsibility to provide a secure future to the youth and it can be done with the power of education and miracle of sports," the home minister said and urged the youth of Kashmir Valley not to tread the path of destruction.

"I want to appeal to the youth that they should take the path of development."
Maintaining that the Centre's stand since beginning was that New Delhi was willing to talk to everyone, Singh said, "At least our neighbouring country Pakistan should prevent terror activities on its soil. And if you (Pakistan) are not able to stop terrorism, why don't you take help from your neighbouring country India."