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Centre ready to hold talks with right-minded people in Jammu and Kashmir: Rajnath Singh
The Centre is ready to hold talks with all "right-minded" people in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan, but the neighbouring country should stop terror activities emanating from its soil, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today. He also said if Pakistan is unable to stop terrorism from its soil on its own, it should take India's help.
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Srinagar
The Minister is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to review the security situation in the state.
"Dialogue can be held with everyone. It is not necessary to be like-minded to hold talks, but it is compulsory to be right-minded," said Singh offering an olive branch to the separatists.
He said while the Centre was ready to talk with all people and groups concerned, the Government of India has appointed a special representative for holding dialogue with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The special representative has not been appointed for sightseeing. He has come here 11 times so far," Singh told reporters here.
The Home minister was referring to the appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as special representative to Jammu and Kashmir in October last year.
Singh appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come forward for bringing back peace in the state. "Lest we might lose another generation of the state to the darkness," he said.
On whether the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir will be extended beyond Ramzan, he said a decision in this regard would be taken after reviewing the situation thoroughly.
"The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) took a decision on the suspension of operation during Ramzan after giving it due thought. We took this decision keeping in view the situation of the common people of Jammu and Kashmir... A decision on extending it beyond Ramzan will be taken after reviewing the situation," he said.
On what feedback security forces' officials gave during the review meetings held today, Singh said, "Good things were spoken about it."
Condemning recent terror attacks, he said militants were not refraining from their nefarious activities even during the holy fasting month.
"Those who are not giving up their nefarious activities even in the holy month of Ramzan, should their activities not be called unholy. I would like to say that to mislead the youth is not only deceit, but a crime," he said.
On Pakistan, the Home minister said some powers were covertly or overtly using terrorism. "They should understand that terrorism has no religion... When it will devour whom no one can say with certainty," he said.
He said the Centre has maintained from the beginning that it was willing talk to everyone.
"At least our neighbouring country Pakistan should prevent terror activities on its soil. And if you (Pakistan) are not able to stop terrorism, why don't you take help from your neighbouring country India," Singh said.
He said India was the only country where all important religions of the world were being practised.
"There is no Islamic country in the world that has all the 72 sects of Islam. If there is any country where all these sects can be found, it is India. (Then why) so much of hatred for that India," he said.
Without naming separatists, Singh said they should refrain from misleading the youth into violence.
"They give education to their own kids and stones in the hands of other kids. I appeal to them to treat the kids of others just like they treat their own," he said.
The Home Minister said concerned about the plight of those "misled" into stone pelting, the Centre has decided to withdraw cases against nearly 10,000 persons who were involved in stone pelting for the first time.
"Don't forget that Atal Bihari Vajpayee (former prime minister) used to talk about Jamhooriyat (democracy), Kashmiriyat and Insaaniat. Today, I want to ask those who are wielding the gun, do they believe in democracy." he said.
Singh said the prime minister from ramparts of the Red Fort said, "we want a solution to the problem of Jammu and Kashmir, not by firing bullets but by embracing (the people), and when we talk about Kashmiriyat it includes Hazratbal as well as Amarnath".
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