Ahead of Burhan Wani's death anniversary, Rajnath Singh says Centre will kindle new hopes among people of Jammu and Kashmir

On the last day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh  chaired a high-level security review meeting  in Srinagar and asserted that the Centre will “kindle new aspirations and hopes” among the people of the state. The statement came ahead of the death anniversary of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen regional commander who was killed in an encounter with security forces on 8 July 2016. [caption id=“attachment_4448305” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of home minister Rajnath Singh. PTI.[/caption] Singh reviewed the security situation in the state at a high-level meeting attended by Governor NN Vohra, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top civil and police officials on Thursday. “The dream of a developed and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir will be realised when there is peace and normalcy in the state. It is our firm resolve to bring peace, stability and prosperity through an honest, effective and efficient administration for the problems facing the state,” a statement quoted him as saying. Discussing the way forward for the state, Singh said development and good governance had remained elusive for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the central government was committed to taking all possible measures to bring accountability and transparency in the system.

“With a renewed focus on good governance and development, the Centre is looking forward to kindle new aspirations and hopes amongst the people of the state,” he said. The home minister said the solution to problems lies in empowerment of the people and strengthening the institutions of local self-government. Singh could not visit the Amarnath cave shrine due to inclement weather on Thursday. Jammu and Kashmir was placed under Governor’s Rule on 20 June after the Bharatiya Janta Party withdrew support to alliance partner Peoples Democratic Party, prompting Mehbooba Mufti to resign as chief minister. In 2017, authorities imposed curfew-like restrictions in the Valley to foil separatists’ plan for a rally in Tral town to commemorate Wani’s first death anniversary. Clashes broke out in different parts of south Kashmir as small groups of people defied restrictions and tried to approach Tral, the native town of Wani, in Pulwama district. The death of the militant, who had built up a big following on social media, had triggered massive protests in 2016 and prolonged period of curfews and shutdowns across the Valley. As many as 85 persons were killed and thousands were injured in daily clashes between security forces and protesters for a period of over four months. With inputs from PTI