SRINAGAR : Even though main trade organizations and Congress had announced to stay away, union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be meeting leaders of different political parties here and seek their help to restore normalcy in the Kashmir valley, where the situation remained grim.
However, when Mr Singh was meeting leaders of different organizations in Srinagar, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tried to reach out to families of victims who fell to bullets of security forces at Kupwara and assured justice will be done.
Mr Singh arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit to assess and review the prevailing situation in the Kashmir valley, where life remained crippled due to curfew restrictions and strike since July 9, a day after a top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Kokernag in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.
Official sources said leaders of about 15 organisations had met Mr Singh at Nehru Guest house, overlooking famous Dal Lake since he arrived here yesterday.
To remain easily available for more people, Mr Singh decided to stay in the guest house instead of Raj Bhavan. Sources said that Mr Singh had urged the delegations to put fourth their views freely so that all measures could be taken to restore peace in the Valley, which is necessary for overall development of the State.
There were free exchange of views and a number of measures were suggested by delegation members to bring normalcy in the valley, where people remained confined in their homes due to curfew and strike for the past 16 days. Mr Singh had detailed discussion with Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. He is likely to get a detailed brief about the overall situation from heads of different security agencies and intelligence agencies. Besides leaders of different political parties are also meeting Mr Singh. The Communist Party of India (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Targami confirmed his meeting with Home Minister today. However, former chief Minister and working president of the main opposition National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah reacted very sharply to reports that people, including Imams, were ferried in ambulances to meet Mr Singh. Mr Singh rushed here yesterday from Delhi to reach out to people in the valley, where spontaneous protests erupted after the killing of Burhan. Violence has so far claimed the lives of 48 civilians, including three women and more than 2200 others were injured. A police constable was also killed and about 3000 security and police personnel were also injured in the clashes besides dozens of buildings, camps and police stations and posts were also attacked during the violence. (AGENCIES)
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