Srinagar: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday said the people of Kashmir are against violence and the recent spate of civilian killings will not break their morale nor will it trample the country’s democracy.
Talkingto reporters here, Yadav the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said the killings of two teachers in Eidgah locality of the city earlier in the day were unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate and painful. Those killed were innocent. If some mischievous elements, at the behest of Pakistan, think that they can break the morale of anyone, or trample the country’s democracy through violence, or impact the lives of the people through violence, then they are misunderstood,” he said.
A woman principal and a teacher were shot dead at point blank range inside a government school in the heart of the city on Thursday, taking to seven the number of civilians killed by militants in Kashmir Valley in five days.
Yadav said the Centre, the J&K Government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and local officers are taking cognizance of such incidents.”The people of Kashmir are also against the violence,” he said.The minister was here as part of the Centre’s outreach programme for Jammu and Kashmir. Asked about the proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, and CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat’s letter to him on Wednesday, Yadav said the Centre was not diluting the Act.
“We are not diluting the Act. We have kept the issue before the people. I want to tell you that a meeting of the National Wildlife Board took place recently. We have sanctioned eight proposals for the rural areas of Kashmir. Drinking water, roads, schools are reaching the villages, in the forest areas.
“The issue only is how the poor will get relief… There is no diversion of forests and we have not yet framed them, we have sought public opinion. Let her (Karat) also put her viewpoint. A decision will be taken after discussing every opinion,” the union minister said.
