Rajnath to undertake 2-day visit to Kashmir

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singhwill undertake a two-day visit to the Kashmir Valley tomorrowduring which he will review the situation and may hold talkswith cross section of people, a move which comes a day afterPrime Minister Narendra Modi expressed "deep concern and pain"over the situation there. This is the second visit of Singh in a month to thevalley which has been witnessing unrest since July 8 whenHizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed in anencounter with security forces. As many as 65 people, including two policemen, have beenkilled and several thousand were injured so far in differentviolence. The Home Minister had said the Centre wants an emotionalrelationship with the state and not just need-based. Singh had said the central government will talk towhosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in thestate. "As far as Government of India is concerned, I want tomake it clear that we don’t just want need-based ties, but tobuild an emotional relationship with Kashmir," he said,reaching out to the people in the Valley while making afervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy inthe state. Yesterday, while meeting a joint opposition delegationled by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi had expressed his "deep concern and pain" overthe situation there and asked all political parties to worktogether to find a "permanent and lasting" solution toproblems in Jammu and Kashmir. PTI ACB SKLRG