"The people of Jammu and Kashmir were already upset due to some reasons and Burhan Wani's incident came as a trigger for the state-wide agitation. I feel Jammu and Kashmir should not be treated as an ego problem... You talk to people and territory will follow," Sinha said here at a presentation titled 'Kashmir, in search of solution'.
Talking to people from all sections is more important than portraying the issue as merely a "territorial" one, he said.
"Why was it used extensively in Kashmir? It is giving a wrong message to Kashmiri people," the former finance minister said.
"During my discussions with stakeholders in Kashmir, I I was also told that aggressive debates on some television channels have damaged image of the state in the country," he said.
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Sinha said that during their meetings, many traders and people said that they don't mind incurring losses but they want a solution to the 70-year-old problem.
Wajahat Habibullah, former police commissioner and member of the concerned citizens' group said, "Earlier, intellectuals in major cities in Jammu and Kashmir expressed disappointment towards the government. This time, it is mainly from rural areas. Especially, after the killing of Wani."