Governor Satya Pal Malik Saturday said that it was encouraging to see Hurriyat Conference leaders, who he said had “once shut their doors on dialogue,” ready for talks now. Speaking after launching free set-top boxes of public broadcaster Doordarshan at SKICC here, Malik praised the separatist leadership for their proactive role in addressing social issues.
“Hurriyat leaders who once shut doors on Ram VilasPaswan when approached for dialogue are now ready for talks. This is anencouraging sign,” the Governor said. Governor Malik also hailed HurriyatConference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for speaking on drug menace.
“Mirwaiz speaking about drug abuse is a welcome step. Lookat how Jammu and Punjab have suffered because of drug menace. Hurriyat workingtowards a better society is also a positive move,” said Malik.
It was during his recent Friday sermon at the grand mosqueJamia Masjid here that Mirwaiz expressed concern over the growing drug menacein the Valley.
The governor also appreciated recent Hurriyat statement thatwelcomed Amarnath yatris, adding that “Kashmir’s hospitality is known forwelcoming the annual yatra and being its hosts”.
Malik said that situation in the Valley was moving towardsnormalcy. “The stone pelting incidents that used to take place after Fridayprayers every week have drastically reduced. Recruitment in militancy ranks hasalso gone down. The narrative in Kashmir can be changed and problems addressedbut army will answer a bullet with a bullet and not bouquets,” Malik said.
“A local corporate house is coming up with a multiplexcinema here which will be a reality soon. People have no sources ofentertainment in Kashmir, so we need to create some,” Malik said. The governorsaid problems in Kashmir were “deep-rooted” and addressing them was not an easytask.
“There seems to be some curse for this place that it must gothrough tough times. After being appointed as Jammu and Kashmir governor, I getto meet many retired generals and diplomats in Delhi who claim to be Kashmirexperts. I tell them that knowing Kashmir from the ground zero is the only wayto be a Kashmir expert,” Malik said. “I decided not to follow path ofintelligence agencies, so after coming to Kashmir I interacted with the youthto understand the real problems here,” the governor said.
Commenting on the trend of fake news, Malik said oftenrumours become news in Kashmir which for administration takes “lot of effort todispel”. “The public broadcaster must reflect the truth and cater to theyounger generation. Youth of the Valley is an asset and there are more than22,000 of them studying outside for whom we have appointed liaison officers,”Malik said.
On the occasion, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said thegovernor-led administration in the state successfully conducting urban localbody polls was appreciable. “The way polls were held and Rs 4500 croredisbursed to panchayats was commendable,” Javadekar said. “I was the humanresource development minister then when some anti-social elements who areagainst education were burning down educational institutions in the Valley. Butpeople resisted such vested interests,” Javadekar said. The union minister saiddespite all odds, Kashmiri students were performing well in competitiveexaminations. “At present more than 5000 Kashmiri students receive PrimeMinister’s scholarship for which last year 35,000 students had applied. Thesestudents receive all sorts of benefits,” Javadekar said.
Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, Dr JitendraSingh, highlighted the role of public broadcaster Doordarshan in the Valleysaying it can “educate and inform” people especially those living on borders.”Infotainment is a soft power to counter war power of enemy country so it isimportant to reach out to people,” Singh said.
Also present at the event were state Chief Secretary B V RSubrahmanyam, Advisors to Governor K Vijay Kumar and K Skandan and GoC 15 CorpsKJS Dhillon.