Rajnath Singh begins Kashmir peace mission

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said he will hold talks with various stakeholders in Kashmir and invited all those who believe in Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat as he arrived in Srinagar on a two-day visit under Centre’s outreach in the Valley which has been hit by violence since July 9, 2016.

Mr. Singh, who is accompanied by Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, will review the situation in Kashmir where as many as 65 persons have been killed and over 8,000 injured in clashes between protestors and security forces that broke out in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter.

The Union Minister arrived at Srinagar airport at 11.30 a.m. in a special plane.

“I will be staying at the



Nehru Guest House. Those who believe in Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat are welcome,” he tweeted before heading for Kashmir.“Shall interact with civil society groups, political parties and other stakeholders,” Mr. Singh said.

The Minister’s visit to Kashmir comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with a delegation of opposition parties led by former State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the national capital on Monday.

Mr. Modi had expressed “deep concern and pain” over the situation there and had asked all political parties to work together to find a “permanent and lasting” solution to problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

This is the second visit of Mr. Singh in a month to the Valley.