New Delhi: Outgoing home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi has said that radicalisation among the youth in Kashmir is worrying, but also added that the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) investigation into terror funding had led to a decline in incidents of violence.
A day before his tenure as home secretary comes to an end, Mr Mehrishi said that radicalistion, funding and supply of weapons from Pakistan to subversive elements was the main reason for the violence in the Kashmir Valley. “There is no denying the fact that Pakistan is sponsoring terror in Kashmir,’’ he said.
He said that while talks with separatists could held, there cannot be any pre-conditions for the same. Mr Mehrishi pointed out that the Centre had clarified in the past that it was keen to talk to separatists, but that they could not be allowed to put forward conditions before holding a dialogue.
On the issue of alienation of the Kashmiri youth, Mr Mehrishi claimed that this was primarily a concept of the Delhi-based media, since the main issue was terrorism and radicalisation. “95 per cent of people in Kashmir want peace. Radicalisation and terrorism are the main issues and we are dealing with it. The youth in Kashmir have the same aspirations like any youth in the rest of India, of good education, good job and a good life,” he said.
Referring to the case of terror funding being probed by NIA, Mr Mehrishi said it has made a huge impact, and that all investigations were being conducted in a fair and free manner.
He also reiterated that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was in Pakistan and that the neighbouring country was creating problems in bringing him to India. Mr Mehrishi, who is demitting office on Thursday, said that terror did not have any colour or religion, dismissing the idea of saffron terror so was it should not be linked to that. ''Since terrorism is terrorism it cannot any religion or colour,’’ he claimed.
