Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed for peace in Jammu and Kashmir and said his government was looking for developmental solutions to people's problems.
"Be it the Jammu and Kashmir government under Mehboobaji or the central government, we are finding solution to all problems through development," Modi said here.
"Kashmiris enjoy the same freedom as people in any other part of India. It is very painful to see that youths, who should have laptops, cricket bats, have been handed stones. Indians love Kashmir but there are some elements who are hurting the great tradition of 'Kashmiriyat'," the Prime Minister said.
"There are ways, including dialogue, to resolve issues ina democracy. My government believes in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mantra of "insaniyat, jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat (humanity, democracy and Kashmiriyat), he said.
Modi appealed to those holding guns in Kashmir to give it up and take up ploughs to turn Kashmir green for the benefit of people.
He said only a "handful of people who have been misled" were causing trouble in the Kashmir Valley, where protests since the killing of a rebel commander July 8 has left over 55 people dead and thousands injured.
"Some people are causing Kashmir a lot of harm," the Prime Minister said. "Kashmir wants peace. Whatever Kashmiris want for betterment of their livelihood, the centre will provide."