STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Cases against protestors, especially students and first-timers, registered over the past four months of unrest in Kashmir will be reviewed, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday while asking the administration to use compassion to wean away from violence the local youth who have joined militancy.
She asked the civil and police administration to prepare a roadmap for “healing the wounds” of people who have been victimized in the agonizing situation prevailing in Kashmir over the past four months.
“We will review those cases where students and first- timers are found to be involved. We will talk to their parents and get their assurances that their wards will not participate in protests in future,” she said at meeting of top civil and police officials here.
Thousands of people have been arrested for stone-pelting and other kinds of violence during the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.
“We can’t go on arresting people. There should be a different and empathetic plan of action to contain the situation,” Mehbooba said.
Expressing concern over local youths joining terror groups, the Chief Minister said the civil and police administration should take steps to wean away such youths from the path of violence with “compassion”.
“Such misadvised youth must be given an opportunity to return to normal life and provided an honorable livelihood.
Get in touch with their families and talk it out with them. We should seriously think about how and what kind of future they should have in a welfare society like ours where every citizen has equal rights,” Mehbooba said.
Noting that “Kashmir has witnessed a very painful and frustrating situation over the past few months”, she said, “Now as the situation is returning to normalcy, we have to prepare a roadmap to pull our people out of this agonizing and complicated situation and heal their wounds.”
Recounting the events of the past four months, the Chief Minister asked the civil and police administration to reach out to the families of those who died or suffered injuries in the ongoing situation and also devise a strategy so that their miseries could be lessened.
“We have to support the affected families whatever can we can,” she said.
“Those who died or suffered injuries are our own people.
Reach out to their families. I should get the exact figures so that we can take a decision about their future. It will be good to involve elders and local Auqaf Committees in the process,” Mehbooba added.
Invoking the rich cultural traditions of Jammu and Kashmir, she said these values of amity and brotherhood can help in combating the extremist onslaught.
“We can’t fight everything with guns and jail. We will have to look for alternative means to ensure peace and stability in the state,” she said.
Expressing deep concern over the menace of drug addiction in the Valley, Mehbooba said the district administration of south and north Kashmir should make it a priority to set up ‘Drug De-addiction Centres’ in these areas where the afflicted youths should be provided remedial measures.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that the situation is slowly returning to normalcy with almost 90 per cent drop in street protests during this month as compared with July.
Complimenting the J&K Police and other forces for handling the situation with as much as possible restraint and putting the Valley on the path of normalcy, she said the worst phase of the prevailing crisis is over.
“In these last four months, I have got no complaint against any Deputy Commissioner or Police officer. We have undergone three months of immense disturbance. While the worst phase is over, the after effects are going to be dealt with more empathy,” she said.
Expressing deep concern over the burning of schools in Kashmir Valley, she said such incidents have inflicted colossal loss on the society at a time when the process of development has been halted due to the ongoing situation.
“As if the casualty suffered by the process of development in Kashmir due to the ongoing situation was not enough, we now have people burning down schools. Such incidents will not only destroy the social fabric of our society but it will also impact the future of our children who are toiling hard to shine in every field, despite the odds,” she said.
Earlier, Director General of police K Rajendra said the restoration of normalcy will remain the top priority for the forces in coming days.
“While a semblance of normalcy has been restored, there is no scope for complacency. Police will continue its drive against miscreants,” he said
