SRINAGAR: The Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Bhuvanesh Chaturvedi, said that the Center was ready to talk with anyone without any precondition in order to restore peace and normalcy in Kashmir.

The solution to the present problem in Kashmir lies in dialogue and not in violence and the misguided youth should shun the path of violence,” the Minister said while addressing a well-attended public meeting at Tangdhar, near the line of control (Lo) in the frontier district of Kupwara, 135 km from here.

The Minister, said Mr. Rao was keen to solve the problem in Kashmir and restore peace and order so that the people of the state could also make strides in economic development. The Minister said, “We can initiate purposeful dialogue now and the remaining problems could be sorted out through talks with the elected government in the state as and when installed.”

Chaturvedi said that the Central Government would help and cooperate with any political party which would come to power in a democratic manner and was keen to solve the problems of the people. The Minister said that the demand for declaring Karnah, a tehsil town in the border district of Kupwara, as a scheduled tribe area was being finalized in the Union Ministry of Welfare and was likely to be submitted to the cabinet for final decision after seeking requisite information from all concerned. He assured the people that he would try to get it expedited. Expressing satisfaction over the good relationship between the Army and Local people, he said that he was happy to know that the Army was doing civic work for the civilians besides Providing security.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 7, 1995