People spreading violence can't be Kashmiris, says Mehbooba

Jammu, Aug. 22 (ANI): With the curfew in Jammu and Kashmir continuing for the 45th day, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the people, who are vitiating the environment and creating unrest in the region, are not Kashmiris. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir know what 'azadi' is. These few people want to vitiate the environment of peace because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government is doing good work," she said. "If you want to protest then why small children are taken and police stations are getting attacked. These people create sentiments amongst the mob and then run away," she added. Mehbooba also welcomed the opposition parties' move to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed hope that something positive comes out of it. "It is a good step. We live in a democracy. If the opposition parties think that a solution can be reached by meeting the Prime Minister and the President then it is good," she said. Earlier today, National Conference chief Omar Abdulla -led delegation met the Prime Minister to apprise him of the ground situation in the valley. "We stressed that Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue and such situations emerge from time to time, and if we don't find a political solution to this problem, we will keep on committing the same mistake," said Omar. "The Prime Minister told us in categorical terms that development alone would not resolve this problem. I am not going to put words into the Prime Minister's mouth nor am I going to draw further meaning from what he had said," he added. Normal life remained paralysed for the 45th consecutive day in the Kashmir valley due to curfew, restrictions and separatist sponsored strike following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. More than 60 persons, including two policemen have been killed, and several thousand others have been injured in the clashes that began on July 9.(ANI)