Reaching out to the people in Kashmir, the Centre on Sunday said it wanted to have "emotional" ties with them and not a need-based relationship and expressed the willingness to talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the Valley.
Winding up his two-day visit to Kashmir in the backdrop of widespread disturbances that has claimed 46 lives so far, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said security forces have been directed to refrain from using pellet guns against crowds as much as possible even as he awaits a report of a committee set up by him to look into the use of non-lethal weapons.
During his stay in the Valley, Rajnath met 30 delegations including a government team led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and an opposition National Conference team headed by Omar Abdullah. The Congress stayed away from deliberations with the home minister.
In a memorandum submitted to the home minister, the NC asked the Centre to initiate a sustained dialogue with Pakistan as well as separatists groups in Jammu and Kashmir for evolving a consensus for a mutually acceptable solution to the political issue.
Sending a strong message to Pakistan at a press conference at the end of his visit to Srinagar and Anantnag, Rajnath warned the neighbouring country not to interfere in India's internal affairs and that it should change its attitude and approach towards Kashmir. "There is no need of any third force to improve situation in Kashmir. Pakistan's role is not "paak" (pure) towards Kashmir."
"As far as Government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we don't just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir," he said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state.
Rajnath said the Centre will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state.
Rajnath said, "I am very concerned at the situation in Kashmir and our prime minister is also very concerned over it. Along with expressing regret over what happened here, I offer my condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives."
He made it clear that the government will not tolerate terrorism in any form and said once normalcy and peace is restored in the state, there will be further engagement with all while moving forward in resolving issues.
"If there are any differences or disapprovals, they can be resolved through talks mutually. Because, there cannot be any other solution.
"I feel that if there is place of Kashmiriyat in democracy, it will only be of humanity," he said, adding that the people of the entire country want that Kashmir should once again become "firdaus" (paradise).
He also said that he has asked the security forces to adopt restraint while dealing with the protesters and said that the government would review the use of pellet guns and a committee has already been set up by him to look into the use of non-lethal weapons which will give its report in two months.
The Union home minister, who was accompanied by Union home secretary and Joint Secretary in his ministry, took stock of the situation in the state which has been on the boil since past few days following violent protests that erupted in the aftermath of the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter.
To a question on whether there will be any talks with separatists, Singh said, "Let normalcy and peace be restored first. We will talk to the chief minister here and we will work only after taking her into confidence." "Let us first ensure that normalcy returns. Then, we will talk to whosoever we want."
Asked about the suggestions of former home minister P Chidambaram on granting more autonomy to the state, he said, "We will look into the suggestions made by Chidambaram, once normalcy is restored in Kashmir".
He said various delegations who met him informed about the injuries to several people due to use of pellet guns by security forces and he has assured them of treatment of the injured in AIIMS in Delhi.
Singh said he talked to Union Health Minister J P Nadda and asked him to appoint a nodal officer in AIIMS to ensure the treatment of all injured in Kashmir there. He said six people are already getting treatment there.
The gome minister said the Centre has also evolved a programme for providing employment opportunities to Kashmiri youth and engage them.
IMAGE: Rajnath Singh asked people to come up with constructive suggestions to provide relief to the strife-torn state. Photograph: ANI/Twitter