Terming restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir as the "biggest challenge" for the state, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today appealed the people to maintain communal harmony.
"I want to say that maintain brotherhood because the biggest challenge faced by Jammu and Kashmir is how to restore peace. You will say that everything is fine here (Jammu) but in Kashmir there is firing and strikes," she said after laying the foundation stone of a multi-tier parking lot here.
She said that her government has been working hard to provide good governance and ensure there are no human rights violation.
"Here Hindu, Muslims have been living together for so many centuries but when some anti-social elements who exist in every community, try to divert us, we indulge in communal fights," Mehbooba said.
Praising the secular nature of Jammu region, she said the city has given shelter to thousands of Kashmiri migrants.
"I need not remind you how secular the people of Jammu are. You gave shelter to thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims who left the Valley and settled here," she said.
Talking about her meeting with RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Mehbooba said that she had requested him to open more branches of nationalized banks in far off areas of the Valley so that the youth get employability.
She also discussed about introduction of a banking system in the cross LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The Chief Minister said that she has a proposal to develop Suchetgarh International Border (IB) on the patterns of Wagah Border so that "people from across the country could come and view parade there".
Underlining her late father and former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's vision to make Jammu an independent tourist destination, she said, "my father had a dream and he did not want Jammu to suffer the fate of Pathankot.
"He wanted Jammu to become an independent destination. He had a dream and a vision for Jammu and I assure you that his dream would be taken forward," she said.
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Replying to the questions, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan and said the state will benefit immensely if the two neighbours come together and engage in a meaningful dialogue.
"I hope the two neighbours will be able to break ice so that lasting peace is established in the region," she said.
The chief minister said Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance and added that a majority of Muslims, barring a few, believe in peaceful coexistence, including Indian Muslims.
"This is the reason why Indian Muslims are respected all over the world despite a cloud of suspicion hovering over Muslims at the global level. It pains me when I see hapless people in Syria, Libya and Pakistan being sucked into the vortex of violence for no fault of theirs," she added.
Mufti said she was happy that despite Pathankot incident, the two countries have carried forward their engagement which indicates their commitment to firmly entrench peace in the region.
Describing terrorism as a global phenomenon, not confined to one region or nation, Mufti said countries are coming together to jointly fight the threat of terror.
"Terrorism is a global concern and is spreading its tentacles far and wide, even into Europe. I think the widening gap between rich and poor and the lack of employment opportunities are fuelling instability which we are witnessing now," she said, while citing the example of US-Iran rapprochement after several decades.
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Defending the decision to form coalition government with BJP, the Chief Minister said it was the vision of her late father Mufti Sayeed to reconcile the differences of opinion between Jammu region and Kashmir valley.
"Somewhere there is a perception that what is good for Jammu may be bad for Kashmir and vice versa. It is a difference of perception and it was the vision of Mufti Sahab to bridge these differences," the PDP chief said.
She said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has stabilised to a large extent and the culturally distinct regions of the state are coming closer to each other since the coalition government assumed office.
"We have learnt to accommodate each other and we will learn from each other by committing mistakes," she said.
Mehbooba said the government has issued strict orders to the security forces to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situations.
"It is because of this restraint that the situation in Frestbal near Pampore where eight CRPF personnel were killed, didn't spiral out of control," she said, adding "I am proud of those personnel who laid down their lives for the safety and security of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir."
Clarifying on her remarks on the clergy, the Chief Minister said it is the social and moral obligation of the religious scholars who issue sermons in mosques to inform and educate people about the social evils prevailing in the society.
"I am proud to be a Muslim. My remarks on clergy were distorted to suit a particular narrative. My only regret is that in our society which has been gravely affected by social evils like drug addiction, corruption and environmental degradation, our clergy shies away from talking about such issues in their sermons.
"What stops them from issuing sermons on our dying water bodies, the menace of dowry and unabated use of polythene? Clergy commands respect in the society and they should discuss social evils in their sermons to motivate the people to wage Jihad against such social evils," she said.
