Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday blamed Pakistan for fanning protests in the Kashmir valley but added that the government is taking all necessary steps to improve the situation in the valley.
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Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called an all-party meeting today to discuss the current situation in the valley in the wake of violent protests over the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
Singh also said that people who are following Islam in India are not something that Pakistan need to worry about.
A prominent banner at the rally accused both India and United States of “occupying” Kashmir. “It is heaven and the neighbouring country is keeping an evil eye on it. I am hopeful that the pride of Kashmir will be restored”, he said.
Increasing its intervention in the Kashmir unrest issue, Pakistan yesterday observed as black day ‘to condemn the brutalities by Indian armed forces against innocent and unarmed civilians in IOK’.
Training guns on Pakistan, he said it came into being in the name of religion but failed to keep the Muslims together and underwent a division.
“The situation in the Kashmir Valley is steadily returning to the normalcy. The essential commodities are being supplied in the curfew clamped areas and the ban which has been imposed on internet has been lifted”, he said.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said in Lok Sabha that there should be “rai shumari (plebiscite)” in Kashmir but later explained that he meant dialogue, not referendum, as the situation in the valley has deteriorated and the PDP-BJP government has “insulted” the “crown” of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed security forces to maintain “maximum restraint”, he said, but added that it can not be denied if someone had committed some mistakes.
The minister admitted that “there could be some aberrations” in the form of high-handedness by security forces.
Singh then announced that the government was considering alternatives to pellet guns.
The committee expressed its resolve that the whole Pakistani nation would continue to stand with their Kashmiri brethren in this time of trial and would continue to raise its voice for the rights at all available forums.
She informed them that over 100 Kashmiri youth risked losing their vision because of the brutal use of air gun pellets by Indian forces. “They will submit a report within two months”, he said.
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The recent Kashmir protests resulted in the death of 44 people and injured 3400 others.
