'Situation In Valley Far From Normal', Says Yashwant Sinha After Leading Delegation To Kashmir

Former Finance Minister and former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha, who is on a four-day visit to Kashmir with a delegation, on Friday said that situation in the valley is far from normal.

A delegation of Indian civil society group led by former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha interacts with the members of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries to assess the situation in the Valley, in Srinagar, Friday, November 22, 2019. (Image: PTI)

Srinagar: Former Finance Minister and former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha, who is on a four-day visit to Kashmir with a delegation, on Friday said that situation in the valley is far from normal, news agency PTI reported. "The situation in Kashmir is far from normal as all the shops are closed. How can you say this is normalcy?" he said. Sinha is part of a civil society group, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the ground situation and the economic losses suffered by people over the last three months due to the shutdown following the abrogation of provisions of Article 370. Apart from Sinha, the other members of the 'Concerned Citizens Group' includes former chief Information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, former Air vice marshall Kapil Kak, journalists Bharat Bhushan and Sushoba Bharve. "There were very different reports about Kashmir. One the government reports and the other by the foreign media. Our aim was to see for ourselves how the situation was here. I thank the administration that we were allowed this time, unlike the last time," the former finance minister said. "We saw that all shops are closed, which is not normal. We wanted to assess the situation on the ground and talk to the people. We also want to assess the economic losses suffered by the people since the government took the decision on August 5," PTI quoted Sinha as saying.

On way to Srinagar, Kashmir with the Concerned Citizens Group to make an independent assessment of the situation on the ground and the economic loss caused by govt's action. Hope will be allowed to enter.

— Yashwant Sinha (@YashwantSinha) November 22, 2019

Sinha said he spoke to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah who has been detained in his house in Srinagar after the revocation of Article 370. According to reports, Sinha had told Abdullah that they will seek a meeting with him from the authorities and if they are allowed they will meet him otherwise they would just wave at him from outside his residence. "I spoke to Farooq Abdullah on phone," Sinha said. "He is in high spirits. We are now seeking a meeting with him." Sinha also said they will also try to talk to former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. On Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that not a single bullet has been fired in Kashmir since August 5, Sinha said the credit for that goes to the people of Kashmir and not the government or the security forces. "It is the death of expectations," he said. "The situation is far from normal as all the shops are closed, how can you say this is normal," he said. The former BJP lawmaker said that the delegation will contact more people in Kashmir before heading back to Delhi on November 25. "We will try to meet the mainstream leaders if we are allowed to do so," Sinha said. The delegation also interacted with the members of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the apex trade body in the Valley. Sinha said he was barred from visiting Kashmir in September and sent back from the airport. Earlier, he met members of Chamber of Commerce and traders in Kashmir at a hotel here.