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BJP to delve into Mehbooba's proposal to counsel youths: Shah

Kashmir Times. Dated: 4/27/2017 2:02:32 PM

KOLKATA, Apr 26 (Agencies): BJP president Amit Shah today said his party would deliberate upon Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's proposal for counselling of youths caught in the vortex of violence in the state.
"Mehboobaji has given a press statement. Our party's team which deals with our policies on Kashmir will sit together and discuss the issue," Shah said during a press conference here, while referring to the J&K CM's proposal to counsel youths.
Asked about his party's stand on the issue, Shah said, "The team, after discussing the issue, will come to me and then we will take a decision," he said.
The worsening security situation in Kashmir was discussed at Srinagar yesterday at a high-level meeting where Mehbooba directed the forces to exercise restraint and advocated a "healing touch" towards "our own youth" caught in the cycle of violence.
Advocating counselling sessions for the youth, Mehbooba said it would not only help allay their fears and misgivings about the system, but would also give the security agencies a chance to reach out to the people through community policing.
Chairing a meeting of the Unified Command Headquarters, she had said the youth engagement should be prioritised rather than viewing it as a routine law and order problem and said that the care should be taken to avoid and minimise all collateral damages while conducting security operations.
Speaking on the Maoist attack at Sukma in Chhattisgarh on Monday that claimed the lives of at least 26 CRPF personnel, Shah said, "The violence can be answered with development only. The BJP believes in 'Sabka Sath, Sabka vikas'."
"As far as the Naxals and Maoists are concerned, the BJP-ruled state governments and the central government will take strict steps to bring them to book," the BJP president said.
Asked if the central government's premise that demonetisation would help curb terrorism and Naxalite activities has taken a hit following the recent attack in Sukma, Shah said, "One incident does not go on to prove that a policy is wrong. The morale of Naxalites is very low and they are a broken lot now."
"Ultra-Left extremism flourished during the Congress rule. The BJP-led governments at the Centre and various states have broken their backs," he said.