Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, at a meeting with a delegation led by former J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah, expressed ‘deep concern and pain’ over the prevailing situation in Kashmir. The delegation called on the Prime Minister to apprise him of the situation in the Kashmir valley.
PM said, “We need to find a permanent and lasting solution to the problem within the framework of the Constitution”. He also said all political parties must work together to find that solution.
He told a delegation of opposition leaders of Jammu and Kashmir that those who lost their lives during the recent disturbances are a “part of us” and it is a matter of “distress” whether the lives lost are of “our youth, security personnel or police,” official sources said.
The Prime Minister said his government stands with the state of Jammu and Kashmir and suggested that all political parties should reach out to the people and convey the same.
During the meeting with the delegation led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Prime Minister expressed “deep concern and pain” at the prevailing situation in the state and appealed for restoration of normalcy in the Valley which has been witnessing unrest for the last 44 days.
Sources said that the government is willing to engage all mainstream stake holders to bring peace back to the Valley. “What you saw today was also a dialogue to find a solution,” said minister of state in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, referring to the meeting with opposition leaders.
Leaders of opposition parties led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged the Prime Minister for a political initiative to deal with the situation in the state.
Abdullah told media persons later that they told Modi that Kashmir was not an issue related to development or the lack of it.”
“It is a political issue and we told the Prime Minister that we need a political approach to deal with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Abdullah after the meeting.
“If we don’t find a political solution to this, then every time we’ll repeat the same mistake,” he said.
