Kashmir unrest: BJP urges political parties to speak in one voice

New Delhi [India], Aug. 28 (ANI): Reiterating the government's stand on the Kashmir issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday reached out to all political parties to speak in one voice to bring peace in the valley. "The Prime Minister has correctly said that he is pained when any youth, children or army man gets killed. Those who are instigating the kids, have to answer them one day. There is a clear message that our government wants peace in Kashmir and wants to bring the people there on the path of development. It wants to fail the conspiracy which is being hatched by Pakistan," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI. "The whole nation is united for peace in Kashmir. Everyone should speak in one voice to bring solution to the Kashmir issue," he added. Expressing regret and remorse over the loss of lives in the Kashmir Valley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier today said that any life lost in the state, whether of any youth or any security personnel, is India's loss, adding that those instigating young, innocent children will have to answer to them someday. Addressing the nation during his address in the 23rd edition of his 'Mann ki Baat' programme, Prime Minister Modi said, "Any life lost in Kashmir, whether of any youth or any security personnel, is our own loss. Those who are trying to disrupt peace in Kashmir by instigating innocent young children, they will have to reply to these young children." The Prime Minister also said that all political parties need to put forward their views on the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley in one voice. "'Ekta' (unity) and 'Mamata' (affection) was the crux of all interactions I had recently on Kashmir situation," he said. Prime Minister Modi had convened an-all party meet on August 12 to discuss the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir. He told attendees that Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is also part of Jammu and Kashmir. The prime minister added that "there cannot be any compromise on national security, but we have to win the confidence of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. "Like every Indian, I have been deeply hurt by the recent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. It is very sad to see that children are not able to study, apple produce is not able to reach the mandis, shopkeepers are not getting their daily income and government offices are not able to work for the service of the people. The poor are the worst affected by this situation," he had said. The situation has become so grave that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had to spend two-days in Srinagar last week meeting with a cross-section of Kashmiri society and the state leadership to look for a way out of the present impasse caused by the protests over the elimination of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani last month. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi on Saturday and presented a three-point action plan, which includes having a substantive dialogue with separatists and Pakistan, to end the current unrest in the state. Addressing the media here after her meeting with Prime Minister Modi at his 7,RCR official residence, Mufti asserted that he was extremely concerned about the situation and that he had expressed his desire to stop the bloodshed in the valley and also ensured that the state will emerge from the crisis. Normal life in the Kashmir Valley remains paralysed as a curfew and a shutdown continued for the 51th consecutive day on Sunday. All educational institutions, shops, public transport and other businesses are closed since July 9. The death toll in the valley has reached 67, as another youth succumbed to his injuries in clashes that broke out between security forces and the locals in Pulwama district on Friday. (ANI)