In Kashmir, India’s home minister says no to talks with Pakistan

India’s Home Minister ruled out talks with Pakistan and says he is ready for dialogue with Kashmiris during his trip to the region
Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir – India’s Home Minister Amit Shah has rejected the possibility of dialogue with arch foe Pakistan over Kashmir during his second visit to the Indian-administered part of the disputed region since its autonomy was scrapped three years ago. “Some people tell us to talk to Pakistan,” he said while addressing supporters at a rally in the Baramulla district on Wednesday. “Why should we talk to Pakistan? We will not talk.” Shah said he wanted to speak to Kashmiris instead. India has refused to hold talks with Pakistan, whom it accuses of supporting groups fighting to take the Muslim-majority Himalayan region out of India. Both India and Pakistan claim all of Kashmir but govern only parts of it. In 2019, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed an article in the Indian constitution that gave limited autonomy to Kashmir and divided the region into two centrally administered territories – Kashmir and Ladakh.
Shah, a close aide of Modi, hailed the decision and said the constitutional provision was a “hindrance in the development of the region”. “You people come to mainstream and choose development to go forward,” said Shah, who arrived on a three-day visit to Kashmir on Monday. “We want Kashmir to become a paradise of India.” The home minister reiterated his government’s aim to “wipe out terrorism from Kashmir”. The government had invoked terrorism to scrap the region’s special status.The senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised job quotas for the Pahari people, which would be the first quotas awarded on the basis of language. The Pahari are a tribal community of both Muslims and Hindus who speak the Pahari language, which is distinct from Kashmiri. Political observers see his quota decision as part of a campaign by Modi’s BJP to woo Pahari voters. “Before the abrogation of Article 370, the Gujjar and Bakerwal [tribal communities] and Pahari did not get benefits,” Shah said in Rajouri in the Jammu region. “Modi removed Article 370. Now you will get a reservation [quota].” Source: aljazeera.com