by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chief Minister of Indian-controlled Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti Monday met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to resume talks with separatists to help normalize situation in the restive region.
Mufti met Modi in New Delhi to discuss prevailing situation in the region especially in the backdrop of an increase in violence and anti-India protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The hard-pressed Mufti invoked former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to persuade Modi to resume the dialogue process in order to achieve peace.
"We have to pick up threads from where Vajpayee has left to move forward, otherwise there remains no chance to see improvement of situation in Kashmir," Mufti said.
The month of April saw violence in the region spiralling out to such an extent that Indian Election Commission had to postpone the scheduled elections in Anantnag constituency by a month, fearing an escalation.
On April 9, the day of polling for Indian elections in Srinagar constituency, massive anti-India protests were staged. The agitated youth destroyed electronic voting machines, locked polling stations and chased paramilitary personnel from the polling booths at some places. Eight people were killed and over 200 people including government force personnel injured in the daylong clashes.
Voter turnout in Srinagar constituency was recorded 7 percent, the lowest in decades. Even a re-poll at some places recorded mere 2 percent turnout.
The situation sent alarm bells ringing for New Delhi.
Read the full story at Xinhua