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New Delhi:
Kashmiri youth who have grown in the “embrace of violence of
conflict and brutality” need to be given hope, Congress president
Sonia Gandhi said Wednesday at the all-party meeting to discuss
the crisis in the volatile Kashmir Valley.
“We know that there are some inimical forces within and beyond the
state and we understand the extreme pressure and dangerous
circumstances our police and security forces face in protecting
our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Gandhi said at the
meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The meeting held at the prime minister’s 7, Race Course Road
official residence was called to discuss measures to defuse the
volatile situation in the valley, where 88 people, mainly
teenagers and youth, have died in violent protests since June 11.
Gandhi, who was leading the Congress party delegation in the
meeting, said: “But we also must ask ourselves why there is so
much anger. Why there is so much pain, in particular among the
youth.”
“The young especially belong to a generation that has grown up in
the embrace of violence of conflict and brutality. We must give
them hope. We must understand and respect their legitimate
aspirations.
“This should be reflected in what we say and decide. We need to be
magnanimous and mature in our approach as besets strong confidence
and inclusive democracy,” Gandhi said.
Kashmir, integral
part of India
Jammu and Kashmir is an integral
part of India, Sonia Gandhi said during the meet and stressed that
a "spirit of accommodation" could end the turmoil and conflict.
"Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of our country and
democracy. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are our people. They
are our citizens," she said at the all-party meeting presided over
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Let us demonstrate... the spirit of accommodation. This alone I
believe can create a space for reconciliation and bring an end to
turmoil and conflict," she said at the meeting held at the prime
minister's 7, Race Course Road residence.
The meeting was called to discuss measures to defuse the volatile
situation in the valley, where 88 people, mainly teenagers and
youth, have died in violent protests since June 11.
"My party is more than willing to support the process of healing
and dialogue in partnership with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,"
Gandhi said.
She expressed her "deep sense of sorrow at the continuing loss of
life in Kashmir".
"I share the anguish of those who have lost their loved ones and
my heart goes out especially to the parents and families of
children who have died. I regret not sharing their grief in
person. I also offer my condolences to the families of our
security forces who lost their dear ones in Kashmir," she said.
She appealed to all political parties to take a “suitable
decision” to break the “vicious cycle of violence and suffering”
in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Together let us arise at a suitable decision on which we can all
agree to break this vicious cycle of violence and suffering,”
Gandhi said at the all-party meeting presided over by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh here.
“Let’s put aside our ideological and political differences. We are
facing far too serious a challenge to allow those differences to
stand in the way of resolute sensitive and appropriate action,”
Gandhi, who led the Congress delegation at the crucial meeting,
said.
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