 "PM asks foreign ministry to expose Pakistan")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for launching of a counter propaganda to expose to the world the atrocities committed by Pakistan on the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In his concluding remarks at an all party meeting, called by the Centre to discuss the recent turmoil in Kashmir, the PM asked the ministry of external affairs to contact people from PoK, who are settled in other parts of the world. He said the ministry should gather information from them on the atrocities perpetrated by Islamabad on the people of PoK and let the world know about these.
At the meeting, Members of Parliament also expressed concerns about the increasing influence of the ISIS on Kashmir. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Muzaffar Baig said the recent protests were different in several respects — these were more influenced by religious extremism with the influence of ISIS evident among the youth, increased participation of women and the reach of these protests to rural areas. The PDP runs a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PM, reading out from a prepared speech, said his government was committed to a peaceful solution to Jammu and Kashmir under the Constitution of India. While talking about Kashmir he said there was a need to talk about all its regions of the state — Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh and PoK. He said the doors of his government were open to finding a solution and it will talk to and redress grievances of all the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The PM said his government will walk the path shown by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Kashmir, and pointed to Jammu and Kashmir’s centuries old past of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Muslims living in harmony. Modi said the state was an example of communal harmony and defined India’s nationalism. He said the problem of Kashmir was that of Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism.
“The world will never accept Pakistan’s propaganda (on Kashmir)…Pakistan forgets that it uses airplanes to bomb its people,” Modi said.
He said the time has come when Pakistan would need to answer to the world the atrocities it commits in Balochistan and PoK. Modi said his government will work with the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-BJP coalition government to bring succour to the people of the state, ensure education to children and jobs to the youth.
The PM said Rs 80,000-crore development package has been announced for Kashmir. He said 10,000 special police officers will be recruited soon. In addition, 1,200 youths in paramilitary forces and 4,000 in India Reserve battalions will also be recruited with preference given to youths from the state. The PM said 125,000 people will be trained under such schemes as Himayat and Udaan schemes.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government was exploring the possibility of an all party delegation visiting Kashmir in the near future. Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury called for a dialogue with all sections and revoking of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act, or AFSPA, from civilian areas.
PDP’s Baig said there was a need to construct a counter narrative of nationalism and democracy among school going students. He said the challenge was to win the battle of minds and patchwork efforts will not work. He termed the situation in Kashmir as a “subterranean volcano” that can erupt again anytime. Baig said the immediate solution was to implement the PDP-BJP common minimum programme, while in the medium term New Delhi needed to expose the role of Pakistan.
Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay stressed on the need to talk to the new leaders of the recent protests, not the “same old faces”. The party’s Derek O’Brien highlighted how the internet penetration in the Valley during the 2010 protest was a mere three per cent, which has now increased to 28 per cent.
In his concluding remarks at an all party meeting, called by the Centre to discuss the recent turmoil in Kashmir, the PM asked the ministry of external affairs to contact people from PoK, who are settled in other parts of the world. He said the ministry should gather information from them on the atrocities perpetrated by Islamabad on the people of PoK and let the world know about these.
At the meeting, Members of Parliament also expressed concerns about the increasing influence of the ISIS on Kashmir. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Muzaffar Baig said the recent protests were different in several respects — these were more influenced by religious extremism with the influence of ISIS evident among the youth, increased participation of women and the reach of these protests to rural areas. The PDP runs a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PM, reading out from a prepared speech, said his government was committed to a peaceful solution to Jammu and Kashmir under the Constitution of India. While talking about Kashmir he said there was a need to talk about all its regions of the state — Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh and PoK. He said the doors of his government were open to finding a solution and it will talk to and redress grievances of all the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The PM said his government will walk the path shown by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Kashmir, and pointed to Jammu and Kashmir’s centuries old past of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Muslims living in harmony. Modi said the state was an example of communal harmony and defined India’s nationalism. He said the problem of Kashmir was that of Pakistan sponsored cross border terrorism.
“The world will never accept Pakistan’s propaganda (on Kashmir)…Pakistan forgets that it uses airplanes to bomb its people,” Modi said.
He said the time has come when Pakistan would need to answer to the world the atrocities it commits in Balochistan and PoK. Modi said his government will work with the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-BJP coalition government to bring succour to the people of the state, ensure education to children and jobs to the youth.
The PM said Rs 80,000-crore development package has been announced for Kashmir. He said 10,000 special police officers will be recruited soon. In addition, 1,200 youths in paramilitary forces and 4,000 in India Reserve battalions will also be recruited with preference given to youths from the state. The PM said 125,000 people will be trained under such schemes as Himayat and Udaan schemes.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government was exploring the possibility of an all party delegation visiting Kashmir in the near future. Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury called for a dialogue with all sections and revoking of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act, or AFSPA, from civilian areas.
PDP’s Baig said there was a need to construct a counter narrative of nationalism and democracy among school going students. He said the challenge was to win the battle of minds and patchwork efforts will not work. He termed the situation in Kashmir as a “subterranean volcano” that can erupt again anytime. Baig said the immediate solution was to implement the PDP-BJP common minimum programme, while in the medium term New Delhi needed to expose the role of Pakistan.
Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay stressed on the need to talk to the new leaders of the recent protests, not the “same old faces”. The party’s Derek O’Brien highlighted how the internet penetration in the Valley during the 2010 protest was a mere three per cent, which has now increased to 28 per cent.