Protests in Kashmir spontaneous and peaceful: Agnivesh

 Srinagar, September 03: Terming protests in Kashmir valley as spontaneous and peaceful, a renowned Indain social activist, Swami Agnivesh, who headed an eight-member delegation to the valley, said that the time was ripe for India to initiate a fruitful dialogue for the Kashmir problem. I also feel a humane touch is needed to deal with the situation.

Swami Agnivesh told media in Srinagar that the protests in Kashmir were spontaneous and peaceful. “The impression that the ongoing protests were engineered or provoked by Pakistan is not true. Leadership in Delhi should stop even loosely alleging that protests in Kashmir are being sponsored by Pakistan,” he said. Swami added that the protests would be peaceful if there would be no provocation from CRPF or troopers.
People of Kashmir are not carrying out the protests at the behest of Pakistan. Leadership in Delhi should stop even loosely that protests in Kashmir are being sponsored by Pakistan”. He admitted that the protests in Kashmir are spontaneous and largely peaceful. “The protests will be peaceful if there will be no provocation from CRPF or troopers,” Swami said.

Stating that presence of military and paramilitary forces should be reduced in Kashmir, he said, “Police should take charge of law and order situation. I also feel a humane touch is needed to deal with the situation.

He maintained that he had been again invited by the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to visit Kashmir on the eve of Eid. “I feel honoured by such an invitation,” he added. He said a group of civil society members would seek meetings with Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister, P. Chidambaram and Congress General Secretary, Rahul Gandhi to apprise them of the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Swami Agnivesh and his team also met Syed Ali Geelani,