Situation in Kashmir returning to normal: MoS

New Delhi: Union minister G Kishan Reddy said on Tuesday that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was heading towards normal and the Centre also wanted normalcy to return there.

Reddy's statement came even as the shutdown of shops and business establishments continued in the valley for the 58th consecutive day, following the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and its bifurcation into Union territories.

"The situation in Kashmir is getting normal. The (central) government also wants that normalcy returns to Kashmir," Reddy, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said on Sunday there were no



restrictions in the valley now and the entire world had supported the Centre's move to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370.

He had also said curfew was lifted in all the areas under the 196 police stations in Kashmir and that section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed within the limits of only eight police stations, barring the assembly of five or more persons.

"People are free to move around anywhere in Kashmir. Many journalists from the rest of India are also visiting Kashmir regularly," Shah had said.

On August 5, the Centre had announced the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.