Separatists From Jammu And Kashmir Face Threat From Pak: Minister Jitendra Singh

JAMMU: Justifying the security extended to separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, Union minister Jitendra Singh has said they faced threat from Pakistan which might attack them to blame it on India.

Mr Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir unrest was first such turmoil in the world in which number of the civilians injured are more or less equal to those in security forces and policemen. It clearly shows how much restraint the security personnel have exercised.

He said as soon as the situation improves, there is a need to engage with the youth of the state.

“We keep blaming Mehbooba (Mufti, Chief Minister), but miss the sight of those forces engaged in it. Pakistan and separatists are threat,” he said at a function organised by Sanjeevni Sharda Kendra in Jammu.

“Pakistan is not only a threat to us, but also to separatists as well. Separatists have no threat from us (India) but from Pakistan,” he said.

Justifying their security given by the government, Union Minister said “why security has been given to them, because Pakistan backed people will kill them in order to blame us (India)”.

On the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “We will have to move forward on three basic ideologies (sidhant). First, there will be no compromise with violence, whatever may be the aim of violence, violence is a violence, and we have to put an end to circle of violence and it has no place in the society and all political parties agree to it.”

“Second, as the situation will improve there is a need to engage with the youth of the state and the beginning of chain of several schemes by the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for last two years. The youth of the country are taking benefit of these and we do not want that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are deprived of it. The youth of Kashmir valley also wants to become stakeholder of the journey of development but due to some reasons they are not fully coming forward,” he said.

“And third, there should be no premium on anti-India activism. It should not look that if someone raises anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans, I will get glorification”, he said.

PTI