Modi to discuss Kashmir with all parties tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with all political parties on Friday on the Kashmir unrest, Home Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The House also passed a unanimous resolution appealing to the people of the Kashmir Valley to restore peace and harmony, adding that there “cannot be any compromise on national security”.

Asserting that security forces were asked to show “maximum restraint” in using pellet guns against protesters, Mr. Singh was non-committal on their immediate withdrawal as demanded by several members during the eight-hour discussion on Kashmir.

On reports that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had moved the United Nations for a plebiscite in Kashmir, he said: “No power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us. We will not speak to them [Pakistan] on Kashmir, we will speak to them on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”

He said Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were issuing threats to family members of security forces and civil administration officials in the Valley. He also said slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” would not be tolerated on Indian soil.