New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha speaking to reporters in New Delhi after meeting Ministers and other dignitaries during his four days visit to the Union Capital said that situation in Kashmir has changed and pro-India people are becoming vocal.
During his stay in the capital, Sinha paid tribute to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat who were killed in an air crash. He also met Speaker Om Birla and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya yesterday.
He is scheduled to meet more Central Ministers before returning to New Delhi.
“Situation has now changed in Kashmir. There is an atmosphere of peace in general, stone pelting has stopped, pro-India people are becoming vocal,” the Lieutenant Governor said referring to candlelight processions and mourning for CDS Gen Bipin Rawat after his death, in the Kashmir valley.
Responding to a question, he said that previously most of the politicians in the Kashmir valley were supporters of ‘soft separatism’, due to which a large section of pro-India used to remain silent but things have now changed.
Sinha said the Government is committed to establish lasting peace in the Kashmir valley but not through bargains or negotiations as used to be the case earlier.
“Earlier in Kashmir, local leaders had been maintaining peace on incidents of militancy-related violence through bargaining and negotiations,” he said but added that the government has now changed its policy and will establish peace through good governance.
He is scheduled to return to the valley tomorrow.
