Hurriyat Conference ready for dialogue, says J-K Governor Satya Pal Malik

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday said the Hurriyat Conference was willing to enter into a dialogue with the government. Malik emphasised that the situation has improved and recruitment of militants almost stopped in the Valley ever since he took over as the Governor.

"I feel good that the temperature (of the situation) has come down significantly since the day I arrived here," he said while speaking at a function in Srinagar during the distribution of free-to-air Doordarshan set-top boxes to border residents.

“The Hurriyat Conference was not willing to talk. Ram Vilas Paswan was standing at their door (in 2016), but they were not ready to talk, Malik said. "Today, they are ready for talks and want to hold dialogue. There is a change in everyone."

"We do not feel good when a youth is killed, we want to bring him back. There is a lot of thought being given as to what kind of scheme is needed to bring them back. But when someone opens fire, the security forces will fire back. They would not present a bouquet of flowers," Malik said.

He also emphasised that it was not easy to assess the situation of Kashmir while sitting elsewhere in the country.

"When I visit Delhi, there are so many people who claim to be Kashmir hand. I ask them when were you in Kashmir. They say 15 years ago," he said.

"I am in touch with around 200 people and from them I have come to know about the problems. The diseases have been diagnosed, the diseases are plenty but these can be cured. The narrative can be changed, the prerequisite is that the intentions are good and sincere on both sides," he added. 

Meanwhile, some reports claim Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on Saturday in Srinagar.

A spokesman of the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat said a police party arrived at the Nigeen residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the city outskirts and informed him that he cannot move out of his house.

The spokesman said the police did not give any reasons for placing the Mirwaiz under house arrest.

With Agency Inputs