Government should come out with blueprint to restore peace in Kashmir: Congress

JAIPUR: The Congress today demanded that the Narendra Modi government come out with a blueprint for restoring peace in the Kashmir Valley claiming that violence has spurted during the last three years.

The party expressed willingness to support the Centre's initiatives towards ushering peace in the Valley but added that the onus for creating such an atmosphere lay with the Prime Minister.

In the last three years, 200 soldiers and 51 civilians have lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress chief spokesperson Surjewala told reporters here.

Stone pelting and other such incidents have increased under the rule of the PDP-BJP led government in Jammu and Kashmir, he claimed.

"We will support the restoration of normalcy in Kashmir but the onus lies with the government. PM Narendra Modi should make his stand clear. Congress and other parties will help in restoring normalcy but policy, paradigm and way forward has to be decided by the government," he said.

He said that the Prime Minister and the Home minister Rajnath Singh need to come out with a blueprint on the issue.

Surjewala said that barring a period of six months, peace had prevailed in Kashmir during the UPA government's rule.

"There was no stonepelting during the tenure of Congress led UPA government. Peace prevailed in Kashmir, grassroots institutions were revived, development took place and efforts to bring the young, who had been misled, to the mainstream were made. But the situation has changed now," he said.

Asked about his party's candidate for the upcoming Presidential election, the Congress leader said that a consensus has to be built on the name of a person who has the ability to defend the Constitution.