Centre’s eight-point initiative not to appease any particular person or outfit: Omar Abdullah

JAMMU - Expressing his views on the Central Government’s eight-point initiative for the Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said this agenda is not to appease any particular person or an outfit.

“We have not announced this eight point agenda to appease a particular person. The main aim of the eight agenda is that the political dialogue should start and as for those lives whom we have sacrificed within three months, we just want to tell the bereaved families that in this darkness they are not alone,” said Omar Abdullah on the sidelines of a function after unveiling the new a block of the Attendant Sarai Government Medical College here today.

“We are here to support them. Along with this, the losses, which we have incurred, have to be recovered. We are expecting that most of the people who believe in peace will join us and also help for the agenda declared to be successful,” he added.

The Central Government’s eight-point Kashmir formula says a group of interlocutors, will hold ’sustained dialogue’ with all sections of Jammu and Kashmir and also review deployment of security forces in the Valley, especially in Srinagar.

Omar Abdullah further said the aim behind this move by the Union Home Ministry is to create an ideal atmosphere for a viable political dialogue with a broad section of Kashmir, including political parties and groups.

As for the various separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said education is very important and the academic careers of the students cannot be rebuilt and hence the state government is doing everything possible to usher the students back to the portals of their schools.

“We want to restore that right to these children. I think it is unfortunate that certain separatist leaders have decided that children’s education is not important. I believe that we can rebuild anything but we cannot rebuild the educational careers of children,” said Omar Abdullah.

“Therefore the Government is doing everything possible to bring the children back to school. As far as we are concerned, education must be conflict neutral,” he added.arlier today, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to cooperate with the State Government and ensure that all schools and colleges function normally.

Chidambaram expressed happiness over the fact that most schools and colleges have reopened, disregarding a call by one of the Hurriyat leaders.

“Government is happy to learn that most schools and colleges have reopened in Jammu and Kashmir and most students have gone back to schools and colleges today,” he said, adding “there was a call by one of the Hurriyat leaders to parents asking them not to send their children to schools and colleges.

“How can any right thinking person pelt stones on school buses? I hope that such mischief will stop immediately,” he said. “Anyone who has the interest of the children at heart cannot indulge in stone-pelting; nor should anyone support such mischievous attempts to interfere with the functioning of schools and colleges,” he added.

He further said: “I am confident that the few schools and colleges that remain closed today, presumably out of caution, will reopen tomorrow.

“I am also confident that the attendance will improve significantly tomorrow,” he added.

After remaining shut for three months, schools reopened in violence-hit Kashmir Valley on Monday.

At least 93 people have died in the last three months. The Kashmir Valley has also been subjected to a series of shutdowns and frequent curfews during this period. (ANI)