Every life lost in Jammu and Kashmir is ours: PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday when he said in his “Mann ki Baat” address to the nation on radio that all political parties and the 1.25 crore people of the countryfrom the gram pradhan to the PMhave a feeling of unity and compassion with the state and if a life is lost—be it of a youth or a security personnel—in the Valley, it is a loss of one of our own people.

Modi’s remarks come against the backdrop of his meeting with J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti and Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif’s attempt to internationalise the issue by dashing off 22 parliamentarians to various countries to take up matter.

The Modi government has been trying to come to grips with the situation in Kashmir that has been under curfew since July 8 when Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter. Home Minister had visited Srinagar last week and the government is mulling over sending an all-party delegation to the Valley. Modi has already held interactions with all political parties and met a delegation of opposition leaders from J&K.

Modi hailed the statesmanship and unity shown by all parties in passing the Goods and Services Tax Bill in Parliament in the monsoon session.

“Similarly, on whatever has happened in Kashmir, in regard to the situation in Kashmir, all parties have expressed their views in one voice. They have given a message to the world, a message to the separatist elements and also expressed their feelings towards the people of Kashmir,” he said. Mufti had praised the Prime Minister after her meeting with him in the national capital.

She said he feels the pain of the Kashmiri as much as she and others from the state do and maintained that the problem in the Valley can be solved by the NDA government which enjoys a two-thirds majority. “In all my interactions on Kashmir, there is one thing that has come out in everybody’s words. If I were to put it in a few words, it is unity and compassion (for the people of Kashmir).

There were the two basic mantras,” Modi said in his address.