STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that stone pelting and shutdown in Kashmir has completely vanished and become thing of the past.
“The days are gone when the shops and business establishments in the Valley used to shut on the diktat from Pakistan”, the Lieutenant Governor told BBC Hindi Service in an exclusive interview.
Sinha attributed this change to greater realization among the people, who yearn for peace, progress and development. The people know how peace remained hostage to the whims of some inimical elements, whose number used to be very small. He referred to frequent halt to economic activities, closure of schools and grave impact to the influx of tourism and said all this is now happenings of the past.
To a question on dialogue with Islamabad, the Lieutenant Governor said there is no need to engage with Pakistan. He said he was convinced that any dialogue to be held is with the youth and the people of Jammu and Kashmir
Sinha reiterated that there has not been any collateral damage to innocent civilians during counter terror operations. The innocent persons are being killed by terrorists and the terror attacks should not be seen through the prism of religion. He agreed that some Kashmiri Pandits have become victim to target attacks and so have many innocent Muslims also.
When asked about retrenchment of some government employees, Sinha said that there is credible evidence against those terminated for having worked against the interests of the nation. Not a single innocent person has been touched and more such people indulging in anti-national activities will be shown the door, he added.
The Lieutenant Governor reiterated that the final call about holding of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir would be taken by the Election Commission of India. He said the electoral rolls are being revised and those below 18 years of age cannot be deprived of their democratic rights. The process is currently on, he added.
When asked about restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said that the Centre is on record having stated in Parliament about undertaking delimitation first, followed by elections and then the issue of granting statehood will be addressed at an appropriate time.