Children are children, if they pick up stones; they must be counseled: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to discuss the unrest and security situation in the State. Singh, while addressing a press conference appealed to all Kashmiris in the state “not to play with the future of youth in the Valley” by resorting to violent means. “Children are children, if they pick up stones; they must be counseled,” said Home Minister Rajnath Singh. He added that “About 300 people from various backgrounds have met me since yesterday.” Union Minister asked the Kashmiris to remember the role they played during floods in the state and end the logjam telling, “More than 4000 security personnel have been injured”. He added that, “security personnel have been asked to exercise maximum restraint”. The Home Minister also assured that he would arrange for an “alternative to pellet guns” which have been a cause of various deaths of both children and adults. Rajnath said that the government is trying to find a solution to the problem and that their understanding of the situation must not be questioned. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, also sought peace from the Kashmiris saying, “No solution can be found by stone pelting and attacking security camps”. She added that, “95 per cent people want peaceful solution through dialogue, only five per cent derailing the process”. The Home Minister's visit is an effort by the central government to restore normalcy in the Valley, which has been reeling under curfew and restrictions since trouble started. Earlier in the day, the Home Minister also met members of civil society who apprised him about the situation in the state. They also told him about the difficulties faced by thecommon citizen in the wake of protests and curfew.