Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefs the media about the all-party delegation's visit to Kashmir.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a press conference today and briefed the media following yesterday's all-party delegation visit to Kashmir. Here are the highlights
- Parliament is very serious about the situation in Kashmir.
- There is no dispute that J&K was, is, will be India's integral part
- An all party delegation met the Governor, Chief Minister
- A total of around 300 people met the delegation.
- There are people from political parties, civil society, university teachers and V-Cs, fruit growers, students and public intellectuals
- Everyone wants that the situation in Kashmir must improve.
- Some members also reached out to the separatists,
- We didn't say yes or no to delegation meeting Hurriyat
- But they were turned away
- What separatists did was neither Kashmiriyat, nor Insaniyat
- Refusing discussions was also reflective that
- I had said earlier that a committee will give its report on non-lethal weapons within 2 months
- Much ahead of the deadline, the committee has already given its report
- And an alternative has been found, the chilli PAVA shells
- This will not kill or severely injure anyone.
- My advice to those continuing to take to violence - talks are the only way forward.
- On Mehbooba Mufti's letter to separatists: Yes, I am aware of such a letter.
- On speaking to Pakistan: This is India's internal matter. I am speaking to my countrymen. There is no need to drag outsiders into