CM appeals to parents, says violence achieves nothing

Blaming "vested interests" for the unrest in Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today appealed to the parents not to allow anybody to play with the future of their children as she asserted that violence does not achieve anything but only results in bloodshed.
She promised to work out a mechanism to ensure a secure and dignified living for the kith and kin of the victims of violence.
In her first televised address since violence erupted in Kashmir four days back, she said she was appealing to people as she herself being a parent could "feel the pain" of losing a near and dear one.

"While certain quarters are only interested in playing politics over the dead bodies of the youth, it is the family members of these slain youth who have to live with this pain forever," she said.
"Ironically, it is only the parents and other immediate family members of these ill-fated youth who have to live with the life-long trauma of losing their near and dear ones to this senseless violence," Mehbooba underscored in her appeal.
Commenting on the unrest, she said, "Unfortunately some elements are hell bent upon fomenting trouble, mayhem and bloodshed in Kashmir for their vested interests and are playing with the lives of the innocent youth by instigating them to indulge in extreme violence resulting in a vicious cycle of frenzy and bloodshed."

Without identifying anyone, the Chief Minister said, "There are hundreds of such families in Kashmir who have lost their near and dear ones to the violence, one way or the other, and have been left at the mercy of the God.

"Most of these families are living in such miserable conditions that they have to even struggle for day-to-day living."
She said while hundreds and thousands of people may be attending the funerals of the slain youth, how many of these people then bother to visit these anguished families to help them out of difficult circumstances.
She said the late leader took a very difficult but bold

decision to join hands with BJP to form a government, only to serve the best interests of Jammu & Kashmir and pursue his agenda of dialogue and development which could not be pursued after he had left office in 2005.
"He could have formed government otherwise also but chose a difficult path for himself just to ease the state's people of their difficulties," she said.
She said the alliance with BJP was stitched on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme which was formulated after months of deliberations.
Complimenting people of Jammu for maintaining peace despite provocations, the Chief Minister said the people of the province, including Chenab and Pir Panchal valleys, showed maturity and wit and defeated nefarious designs of divisive forces.

She said all the road connectivity projects would be taken up to improve inter-people and inter-region connectivity.
She asked the functionaries to seek more and more involvement of women in the policies and programmes of the party, adding the government has taken many big steps for their welfare and empowerment including setting up of police stations, buses, scooty scheme, ladli beti scheme, etc.