Mehbooba wants 'chance' for European delegation to talk to locals in Kashmir

Amid speculation that a delegation from European Union will visit Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that the visiting lawmakers from European countries should "get chance" to the local people.

"Hope they get a chance to speak to the people, local media, doctors and civil society members," Ms Mehbooba tweeted.

She also said: "The iron curtain between Kashmir and the world needs to be lifted and the Government of India must be held accountable for pushing J&K into turmoil".

This will be first major visit by a foreign delegation to Jammu and Kashmir after August 5 when the Narendra Modi government scrapped the special status for the state and also bifurcated it.

The move is seen as an effort to counter 'propaganda' about tension and continued conflict in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - both regions have been made centrally-administered Union Territories.