Srinagar, Jun 24 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Avinash Rai Khanna Monday said those people who are ready to talk within the constitution of India are welcome anytime for dialogue.

“Anybody who is ready to talk within the constitution of India and wants peace prevail in Kashmir is welcome,” he told reporters here.

Rai’s statement comes days after State Governor Satya Pal Malik has said that Hurriyat was ready for dialogue and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also said they were ready for talks.

Rai said that Prime Minister Modi has started peace initiative on Kashmir and anybody who wants to contribute to peace.

However, the BJP leader didn’t clear whether BJP has started any back channel talks with Hurriyat Conference for dialogue.

“Talks within the ambit of constitution is not a condition. As a citizen, any person is duty bound to respect the constitution,” he said. (KNS) 

Says “nothing new in dialogue remark, committed to dialogue as good as before”

Srinagar, Jun 24 : Hurriyat Conference (M) on Monday impressed upon the government of India to take the repeated offer of dialogue of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan seriously and pointed out that Hurriyat Conference (M) has always favoured talks as the means of resolution and there is nothing new in the remark on dialogue but Hurriyat Conference (M) has been saying this from the day the conglomerate was constituted.

A spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (M) told, “Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s repeated offer of dialogue on all issues between India and Pakistan including the Kashmir issue should also be seriously considered as a way forward,” adding that “Kashmiris being the most affected party for the past seventy two years naturally want its resolution and since its inception when all parties came together under one umbrella the APHC has been maintaining and reiterating that engagement and dialogue among stakeholders is the best and most peaceful means of resolution of Kashmir issue and not force.”

Saying that we have engaged with both India and Pakistan in the past, the spokesman said, “Hurriyat Conference (M) believes that this issue cannot be resolved militarily or through confrontation but by dialogue and deliberations. (KNS) 

Srinagar, Jun 24: Congress leader Kadfeen Choudhary on Monday said the holding of the state assembly elections is the only way to get the state out of the political uncertainty which is engulfing it from all sides at present.

Interacting with several delegations here, Kadfeen said that any proposal of delimitation of the state is not possible until unless peoples government isn’t in place and that it is the prerogative of the democratically elected government only to decide whether the proposal pertaining to the delimitation of the state should be considered or not. Kadfeen said that the state governor and his advisors aren’t mandated in anyway neither by the constitution nor by the people to take any such decision which has the far reaching consequences on state’s future.

He added that the only way to get the state out of the present political morass is to hold polls and let the people and their representatives run the government.

Kadfeen further cautioned the Government not to indulge in any such practise which will yield more trouble for the state and turn the situation more worrisome and chaotic to handle.

He added that Jammu and Kashmir is a place with diverse landscape and cultures and this unity and diversity should be preserved instead of being disturbed for petty political goals. (KNS) 

Mandated to visit Kashmir frequently, submit report on situation, internal security on regular basis

Srinagar, Jun 24 : In a significant development, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah while setting the ball rolling for Jammu and Kashmir, has made G K Reddy as his deputy to look into the internal security and other matters pertaining to the trouble ravaged state on regular basis.

Reddy, according to reliable sources, has immediately started his job and is feeding Shah with all the vital information on daily basis, especially the inputs pertaining to the internal security of the State and progress on various developmental projects launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in J&K.

“However, Shah will be the final authority to take any decisions in subjects allocated to the two Ministers of State in his Ministry,” sources told. “This is the first time Jammu and Kashmir divisions have been allocated in less than a month of the formation of the government at the Centre.”

In the previous NDA Government, junior Minister Kiren Rijiju was in-charge of the Northeast division and his colleague Hansraj G Ahir was looking after counter-radicalisation and Kashmir affairs. Rijiju is now in charge of the youth affairs and Sports Ministry, while Ahir had lost his election.

According to the work allocation, Reddy will handle the issues related to freedom fighters, internal security, counter militancy and counter radicalization in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said that Shah has directed Reddy to remain in constant with the top security brass of Jammu and Kashmir that includes army, police, intelligence and also with the government that includes Governor S P Malik, his advisors and the top officials of various divisions in the government.

“Shah has also directed Reddy to submit a detailed report to him on daily basis and also on weekly basis about the situation on ground in Kashmir besides other vital initiatives that come under the domain of MHA,” sources said.

They said that Reddy will soon visit Kashmir to meet the officials of various security agencies to get the feedback on various issues. “Shah has directed Reddy to visit Kashmir frequently to assess the ground situation and to submit report accordingly,” he said. (KNS) 

‘In the name of security, people being harassed on highway’

Srinagar, Jun 24 : CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami on Monday said that comprising four districts Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian, south Kashmir has been on the boil ever since July 2016. “Despite passing of three years, the situation in the region is not showing any significant improvement with media reports showing that some youths continue to join militant ranks,” he said.

In a statement issued , Tarigami said, “Why isn’t there significant change in south Kashmir despite huge deployment of security forces? Perhaps it is because muscular approach is not giving desired results and needs to be revisited. The policy makers need to answer these questions. Mere counting of arrests and killings are not an answer to this situation.”

“Arbitrary arrests, nocturnal raids and are causing insecurity and harassment among people in the region. It has been done before as well in the State, but it has never yielded anything. On the other hand, it just exacerbates the anger and gives rise to further uncertainty,” he said.

CPI(M) leader said that during early 1990’s large scale arrests took place which only worsened situation. “This is a tried and tested and failed model which we are afraid will only worsen the situation further,” he said.

“Similarly, some people arrested under different laws, are not being released despite courts ordering their release on bail. Those released by the courts are being re-arrested from the jail compound itself and booked under Public Safety Act (PSA),” Tarigami added.

He said that job of security forces is law enforcement. “You can control the unlawful activities only through lawful measures. Such a course amounts to violation of laws which cannot help in restoring order,” he said.

“Though the authorities lifted twice a week curbs on the movement of civilian vehicles on National Highway, reports of security forces harassing the commuters are still pouring in. In the name of security, people are being harassed day-in and day-out,” Tarigami added.

“The safety of security forces convoys is important, but in the name of security common people should not feel any inconvenience or harassment. Patients, students, employees, traders and others, who have to commute daily on the highway should be given full respect by the forces while their convoys move. There should be a better and people friendly way of protecting forces using the highway,” he said. (KNS) 

Srinagar, June 24: Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed grief over the loss of lives in a road accident in Rajouri district.

In a condolence message, Governor has conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed souls.

Governor has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased.

Governor directed the administration to provide best medical treatment to the injured in the accident and wished speedy recovery to them.