Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday that the violence in the Valley was the “handiwork of external forces” and “now unfortunately, China is trying to meddle in it.” She also reiterated that the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, which left seven dead, was to create “communal tension” in the country.
Ms. Mufti’s statement followed her meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence to discuss the law and order situation in the State and security arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims. “The Kashmir issue is not a law and order problem. It is happening because of external forces. The ongoing fight is a handiwork of external forces and now unfortunately China is also trying to meddle in it,” she told reporters after the meeting.
Chinese remarks
Explaining her remarks, Ms. Mufti later told The Hindu that she had referred to China’s recent remarks indicating that “a third country” could take action in Kashmir to support Pakistan in the same way India had supported Bhutan on the Doklam plateau.
“Kashmir is the place where everything is centred — first it was Pakistan, and now with China too, when they find nothing else worked in the (Doklam situation), they have now picked up the Kashmir stick to beat India with,” Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said.
The Chief Minister also called for support for Jammu and Kashmir in the same manner as the Opposition parties and government had met to say they were united on the Sikkim standoff.
Officials in security establishment said they had been asked to go “full-throttle” against terrorists and militants operating in the valley on the basis of “specific intelligence inputs”.
South Kashmir focus
The focus of security agencies is said to be South Kashmir, where more than 25 terrorists and militants have been killed this year.