PM Modi’s Kashmir speech receives mixed reaction from Valley’s newspapers

The Prime Minister’s first remarks on the ongoing spell of unrest in Kashmir after 32 days of violence made the headlines in most newspapers in the Valley on Wednesday morning.

The Valley’s largest-circulating daily, Greater Kashmir, leads with a quote headline saying “Kashmir has same freedom that every Indian feels’’.

The story — reported by the Press Trust of India — said the PM broke his silence on the turmoil in Kashmir and advocated a path of “democracy and dialogue” to restore peace in the spirit of ‘’insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat’’.

The newspaper quotes various separatist leaders as criticising the speech. While JKLF leader Yasin Mallik was quoted as saying “calling pro freedom Kashmiris as misguided youth is old Delhi policy”, another moderate separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was reported as saying that Delhi should accept, not deny what Kashmiris want.

Another leading daily, Rising Kashmir, said on its front page: “Too little too late, Prime Ministers Kashmir remarks fail to enthuse’’.

“What Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about Kashmir on Tuesday, 32 days after the entire valley rose in revolt against the Indian rule, would probably not please even chief minister Mehbooba Mufti who on Monday called for “bold and tangible” steps to reach out to the people of Kashmir,” the paper Kashmir Reader said.

Kashmir’s vernacular dailies also talked about Modi’s speech. The headline in Kashmir Uzma said “Kashmir halat par Modi ne todhi taweel Khamoshi’’. (Modi breaks his long silence on Kashmir’).