Stone-throwing protests unfortunate: Kashmir governor

JAMMU - Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, in his address to the state legislature at the start of the budget session Monday, termed as unforunate the stone-throwing protests of last summer and also stressed the need for India-Pakistan dialogue.

Vohra regreted the “loss of life”. It was a reference to the four-month long stone-throwing protests in Kashmir during the summer of 2010 in which more than 100 people, mostly youngsters, were killed in clashes with the security forces.

The governor claimed that the appointment of interlocutors was a “part of the government’s initiative to resolve all issues through dialogue” and stressed the government was looking forward to a fruitful India-Pakistan dialogue to resolve differences.

It was an echo of the state government’s often expressed view that India-Pakistan dialogue was a must for peace in Kashmir.

The governor referred to the liberal central help to the state and also the achievements of the government in setting up the state information commission and the state vigilance commission. He reiterated that the government was “committed to zero tolerance to human rights violations.”

His address was heard in rapt attention by legislators, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and opposition Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, who were seated at two extreme ends of the front row of the Central hall of the legislature where members of both houses gathered for the joint sitting.