Kashmir unrest: All parties should be taken into confidence, says Rajnath Singh

Asserting that the Government will take into confidence all parties while taking steps to bring peace and normalcy in Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said it is “very difficult” for people to bear unrest for long.

“The government on its own is working on improving the situation there (Kashmir). The discussions are held with the people. After the all-party delegation meeting, there has been a perceptional change,” Singh told reporters here after commissioning off-shore patrol vessel ICG Sarathi.

The Minister said that the government was working on the recommendations made by the all-party delegation that travelled to the state recently.

“The all-party delegation went there (J and K) to review ...our efforts will be to take all parties in confidence while taking a step. We are working on it,” he said.

“People in Kashmir have realised that it is difficult to bear such a long span of unrest. People are feeling that peace and normalcy should be restored,” he said.

“In future also, we will be trying that all parties are taken into confidence (on Kashmir),” he said.

The minister said that “there is improvement in the situation in Kashmir” and the Centre was assisting efforts to provide employment and bring development in the state.

“Things are much in control compared to the past.  In coming days, the situation in Kashmir would be completely under control,” he said.

In order to provide job opportunities to the youths in the state, the central government has ordered for recruitment of 10,000 Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the state, he said.

“Development work is going on. Central government has also funded for all the development works,” he said.

Responding to a question on cross-border infiltration, the Home Minister said, “Infiltration has been happening in past, but it was less in 2015.”

“There is increase in 2016 as far as infiltration is concerned but at the same time our army and para-military forces have managed to eliminate the terrorists,” he said.

Normal life remained paralysed for 63^rd consecutive day in the unrest-hit Valley where 73 persons have been killed and several thousand others injured in the violence which erupted after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was gunned down by security forces.