Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated.
Mufti said this after a meeting with meeting Union home minister Rajnath Singh amid growing unrest in Kashmir, which has put the PDP-BJP coalition under strain.
The chief minister did not specify who the talks would be with, but, during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi she had invoked former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s policy on Kashmir in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.
“I understand that the coming two-three months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated,” she said.
Mufti said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.
During her meeting with the home minister, where BJP’s general secretary incharge of Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mufti briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
{{/usCountry}}During her meeting with the home minister, where BJP’s general secretary incharge of Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mufti briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
{{/usCountry}}She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.
The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir.
Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governor’s rule in the state, Mufti said only the central government could comment on that.
The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.
Mufti also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Singh told the chief minister that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.
He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday.
At a meeting of the NITI Aayog on Sunday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their “own children”.