Modi urged to talk peace in Kashmir

NEW DELHI: The Chief Minister of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to resume talks with separatists to help normalise the situation in the restive region.

Mufti met Modi in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the situation, especially against the backdrop of an increase in violence and antiIndia protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The hard-pressed Mufti invoked former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to persuade Modi to resume the dialogue to achieve peace.

“We have to pick up the threads from where Vajpayee has left to move forward, otherwise there remains no chance to see an improvement of the situation in Kashmir,” Mufti said.

The month of April saw violence in the region spiralling to such an extent that the Indian Election Commission had to postpone scheduled elections in Anantnag constituency by a month.

On April 9, the day of polling for Indian elections in Srinagar constituency, massive anti-India protests were staged.

Agitating youths destroyed electronic voting machines, locked polling stations and chased paramilitary personnel from the polling booths in some places.

Eight people were killed and more than 200 people, including government force personnel, were injured in the clashes. Voter turnout in Srinagar constituency was recorded at 7%, the lowest in decades. Even a re-poll at some places recorded a mere 2% turnout.

The situation sent alarm bells ringing for New Delhi. Mufti said there was a need to create an atmosphere for dialogue in the region as the government could not afford a confrontation with its people.

Last week, some Kashmiri students were attacked by locals in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. Separately, threatening banners surfaced on mega billboards in Uttar Pradesh asking Kashmiris to leave. Hundreds of Kashmiris, either students or businesspeople, are living in different Indian states.

Many others are also working in these states.