Kashmiri youths should have books in hands, and not stones:

Rajnath Lucknow, Aug 20 (PTI) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singhtoday said the youths of Kashmir should pick up pens, booksand computers instead of stones in their hands, while allegingthat people with vested interests were playing with the futureof Kashmiris. "Some people in order to serve their selfish motives areforcing the innocent children and youths of Kashmir to pick upstones… Is this not playing with their future? I want totell those having such nefarious intentions not to encouragethe innocents to pick up stones. "Which father will ask his children or youths to give upstudies and pick up stones?" Singh asked, adding the youths ofKashmir should instead be having pens, books and computers intheir hands. At a function to unveil a statue of Chhatrapati Shivajiat Lucknow University, he insisted that the solution to allthe problems of Kashmir and its people can be found onlythrough mutual dialogue. "These children are innocent and citizens of India…Ifthere is a problem or difficulty, it cannot be solved throughdemonstrations, it can be resolved only through mutualdialogue," he said. Stressing that peace and normalcy should be restored inKashmir by holding talks with "our own people", Singh saidthat people of India love not just the land of Kashmir butalso its people. Making an appeal to the students in all the educationalinstitutions of the country wherever Kashmiri youths arestudying to consider them as their brothers and not todiscriminate against them in any manner, Singh said theyshould be given proper respect and love. Asking the Kashmiri brothers and sisters to give upviolence and help in restoring normalcy, he said though theywere politicians but they too get immensely hurt and disturbedwhenever any youth is injured and dies just like when a jawanmeets the same fate. The home minister also reminded the people of Kashmir theservice rendered by security personnel during the devastatingfloods by saving lives of hundreds of them by putting theirown lives at risk. India is one and will remain one no matter what theopponents tried, he said to the huge applause of the people. Noting that the goal of politics is to take the societytowards the noble path of prosperity and brotherhood, Singhrued that unfortunately today’s politics appears adamant ondividing people on caste and communal lines for the sake ofpower. PTI SABSMN