Restive Kashmir: Rajnath, Home Secy to visit Srinagar tomorrow

New Delhi, Aug. 23 : With the pressure mounting on the Central Government to send an all-party delegation to Kashmir in an effort to mitigate the present crisis, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting the restive Valley on Wednesday.

It has been learnt that Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officials will accompany the minister.

Though details of their visit are yet to emerge, it is understood that the Home Minister will meet Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other senior officers to review the law and order situation in the Valley.

Rajnath is also likely to meet representatives of various political parties seeking their feedback on the Kashmir situation.

Members of various political parties had on August 12 suggested the Central Government to send an-all party meeting delegation to the Valley in order to pacify the situation, however, the government is yet to take a step in this direction.

As many as 65 people have, thus far, been killed and thousands, including security forces, left injured in protest-violence triggered by the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces on July 8.

A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir opposition parties also met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to apprise them of the ground situation in the Valley, while urging them to take measures to mitigate the ongoing crisis.

Source: ANI