(PTI)
Appealing to the youth of Kashmir to question those who instigate them to join the “so-called freedom struggle”, Union minister Jitendra Singh today hit out at the separatists, saying if stone-pelting is a “holy task” then they should make their own children pelt stones and risk their lives.
Singh rejected separatists as being stakeholders in Kashmir and said that real stakeholders are the state’s youth below the age of 40 who constitute 65 per cent of its population. “I have made this appeal to youth of Kashmir that time has come for you (youth of valley) to raise this question-mark on those (separatists), who instigate you to join this so- called freedom struggle,” Singh told reporters.
The minister said, “If they (separatists and others) feel that this struggle of stone-pelting is so holy and a holy task, they should set an example of sparing one child from their own family to become a stone-pelter or lay down his life. This duplicity is not going to work now”.
“Kashmiri youth has rejected this duplicity. That is why, 66,000 youth came out for seeking government jobs yesterday despite hostile circumstances. Hurriyat today stand exposed,” he said.
