No question of change in Kashmir police: Centre

Vadodra (Gujarat), Aug. 20 (ANI): Responding to allegations that the Government of India's policy on Kashmir has changed and shifted to Balochistan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said there is no question of change in police on Kashmir. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir should be empowered and brought into mainstream development, and we are constantly working for it," he told reporters. "In the last 25 months, Kashmiri youth joined the mainstream of development very fast, and an environment for peace and harmony was created, which the enemies of peace did not like. And definitely, these enemies of peace are having backing from across the border, and they keep on doing such things to deteriorate the environment," Naqvi added. Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Balochistan reference in his Independence Day Speech, he said, "As far as Balochistan is concerned, India is the biggest supporter of human rights and democracy; if democracy is being murdered and human rights are suppressed in its neighbourhood then it becomes India's moral responsibility to apply a balm on the wounds of the suppressed people." Earlier, asserting that both the state and the Central governments have failed in finding a solution to the soaring violence in the Valley, leader of opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly Omar Abdullah said here that the problem in the state is a political one and cannot be handled administratively. Speaking to the media here after submitting a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee, Omar said that this is the first time in memory that initiatives that should have been taken by the government, are actually being taken by the opposition. "This afternoon a delegation of opposition parties that had previously met in Srinagar, called on his Excellency the President to present him a memorandum and to apprise him of the situation currently prevailing, particularly in Kashmir valley, but also showing signs of spreading to Pir Punjal, Chenab valley region of Jammu and Kargil part of Ladakh as well," he said. Omar added that their meeting with the President, which cuts across party lines, symbolised the deep concerns that they have for the prevailing situation and also their disappointment at the way the matter has sought to be handled, both by the Centre as well as the state government. (ANI)