It is also the desire of the common citizens of Jammu and Kashmir including those living in Kashmir Valley.
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Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation in the Valley, where restrictions continued in many parts for the 46th consecutive day on Tuesday.
There seemed no end in sight to the unrest even as the Home Minister arrived here to meet a cross-section of Kashmiri people and seek ways on how to break the logjam.
The officials said the government was keen on breaking the logjam and end the vicious cycle of violent protests and counter-violence that has so far left at least 68 people dead in over five weeks.
Singh, who is accompanied by Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, will review the situation in Kashmir where as many as 65 persons have been killed and over 8000 injured in clashes between protestors and security forces that broke out in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter. “In the attack, 17 police and CRPF personnel were injured”. Asked if there would be attempts by the Centre to engage with separatists, he said the government would not reach out to them but its doors are open to anyone who is willing to talk to it.
The focus of Singh’s visit, said home ministry officials, will be on quick employment generation through skill development schemes such as Udaan and Himayat and also through recruitment in paramilitary forces and India Reserve battalions. They have been pressing the government for a “political solution” to the ongoing unrest.
Rajnath Singh’s visit follows Jammu and Kashmir opposition leaders’ several meetings in Delhi – led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah – including with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi told the opposition leaders that he was “distressed” with the Kashmir situation and shared “deep concern and pain” over the loss of lives.
“It was a long and comprehensive discussion and a lot of things were discussed”.
“This is a very risky situation and what is the reason behind this I don’t know”.
Before leaving from Delhi, he tweeted that he “shall interact with civil society groups, political parties, and other stakeholders” during stay in Srinagar.
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Official sources said security officials briefed Rajnath about measures taken to maintain law and order, restore peace and prevent people from staging protests after he landed in Kashmir.
