Centre has not taken concrete steps to reach out to J-K victims: Congress

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), July 17 (ANI): With the situation in Jammu and Kashmir continuing to simmer on the tense side, the Congress on Sunday accused the Centre of not taking concrete steps to reach out to the victims and said it is the Centre's style of not discussing any matter with anyone. Former external affairs minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre is in a denial mode and doesn't want to talk to the other parties with experience of dealing with difficult situations on board. "The situation here is very unfortunate. It has been nine-ten days and the Centre has not given much importance to it and there has been no effort from its side. The Central Government has not taken concrete steps to reach out to the victims. The Centre has a style that they do not talk to anyone. As far as our foreign policy issues are concerned, the Centre never consults us on it," Khurshid told the media here. Escalating his attack, Khurshid said there is need to talk to the people in Kashmir and the media. "But there have been no indications that they are interested for a discussion. I think this is wrong in democracy," he added. Khurshid said that it was unfortunate to hear about young people losing their vision due to stone pelting. "Forces seem to be resorting to disproportionate use of force while dealing with the protestors. There are set rules for dealing with crowds, such things seem to have disappeared in Kashmir," he added. Khurshid was accompanied by All India Congress Committee General Secretary Ambika Soni, who expressed her sympathies to the families of those who have been victims of the Kashmir violence. She called for holding an all-party meeting for taking concrete steps to ensure peace in Kashmir. "It's been many days that curfew is still in place. We will fully contribute to this so that peace gets restored in the valley. In such a situation, the first thing should have been an all party meeting to discuss the situation and bringing of normalcy here. Our priority is the treatment of the innocent victims who got injured during the violence," she said. She asked the Centre to come forward and help the patients who are victims of the protests. "Even we will try to provide medical aids to them. It's a voluntary effort.we are not in the government. The real anger for last one and a half year, since results were announced is that people have not accepted the coalition government," she added. The duo visited the valley earlier today on being asked by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to see the ground reality and take stock of the situation. Yesterday, the Congress had lauded the role of security personnel in dealing strictly with stone-pelters and said the country stands firmly behind them. Meanwhile, curfew in the Valley continued for the ninth day today in an attempt to maintain law and order in the state, as well as preventing the people from staging demonstrations against the killing of Wani. Around 38 people have been killed so far and several others injured after clashes between the protesters and security forces so far. Cell phone services have been blocked and mobile internet in Jammu and Kashmir remains suspended. The government has also blocked Cable TV networks across the Kashmir Valley. The violence has shown no signs of subsiding as the protesters on Saturday attacked a police post in Kupwara district in which a civilian was killed. Two civilians were also reportedly injured in fresh incidents of violence in the area. A mob attacked a police post at Hatmulla in Kupwara district, following which the security personnel retaliated. On Friday, another protestor was killed and three others injured in fresh police firing in Kupwara district and another civilian died in South Kashmir district. The incidents of violence continue to crop up despite the Centre and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti calling on the people of the state to maintain calm and cooperate with the state government to bring peace in the valley. (ANI)