Indian minister expresses concern over situation in India-controlled Kashmir

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in India-controlled Kashmir, but hoped that it would be able to soon reach out to protesters to restart the process of a dialogue for a solution to the conflict.

"I am afraid Jammu and Kashmir is now caught in a vicious cycle of stone pelting, lathicharge, teargassing and firing, leading to casualties and resulting in more stone pelting," Chidambaram said, addressing a conference of state police chiefs in the national capital.

But the security forces have been instructed to act with great restraint and "a political solution must be found to the problems of the state and the central government has offered a dialogue with all sections of the people and political parties and groups of the state," he said.

"We are concerned that we have not been able to stop the vicious cycle in which the state is caught. However, it is my hope that, in the next few days, we would be able to find that elusive 'starting point' from where we could reach out to the protesters, reassure them of their rights and dignity, restore peace and order, redeem the promises made, and re-start the process of a dialogue that will lead to a solution," the home minister said.

Speaking about the left-wing Naxal menace that has gripped the country, Chidambaram said despite setbacks, security forces have been able to reassert their control in several Maoist affected districts.

"We have called upon the Maoists to abjure violence and come up for talks. I regret to say that there has been no direct and credible response to our offer of talks," he said.

Source: Xinhua