Srinagar: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti Saturday thanked people of Kashmir for standing united to protest against the attack in Anantnag that left seven Amarnath pilgrims dead and many others injured.
“I thank the people of Kashmir for expressing their anguish over the attack on Amarntah pilgrims. Protests against the attack reflected that the Kashmiriyat is still alive,” Mehbooba said while talking to the reporters after holding meeting with Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.
Notably, the state Chief Minister and Union Home Minister discussed the security situation in the Valley.
She also accused China of interfering in the state that has recently witnessed a spike in violence. “The present crisis in Kashmir is not a mere law-and-order problem, adding the fight is against foreign powers,” she said.
“Earlier it was Pakistan but now there are reports of China meddling in the Kashmir affairs,” she said according to the reports, adding that “we cannot fight this war alone. We need backing of the whole country and all political parties to emerge victorious.”
Notably, Mufti’s meeting with Rajnath in New Delhi in the wake of the attack on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10, in which seven persons died, lasted for almost an hour after it commenced at 11.30am.
The meeting also came a day after Rajnath Singh briefed top opposition leaders on the situation in the Valley and steps taken to ensure better security for the Amarnath pilgrims.
The opposition has slammed the government for failing to ensure security of Amarnath Yatris.
Singh in consultation with the state government has decided to erect 21 more security pickets on the Amarnath route to check whether any vehicle carrying pilgrims is moving beyond the deadline of 7pm in the Valley.
The ill-fated bus that came under attack in the state’s Anantnag district had violated the deadline