Fear of terrorists has almost ended in Kashmir: L-G Manoj Sinha

Srinagar, Aug 23 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said fear of terrorists and their ecosystem in the Valley has almost ended.

Interacting with members of the Indian Chamber of Commerce here in the evening, the L-G said Kashmir has recorded just one local terror recruitment so far this year.

"Investments are taking place in areas like Anantnag and Pulwama districts in the Kashmir Valley. More industrial units have been set up in Pulwama than in Srinagar. The fear of terrorists and their ecosystem has almost ended," Sinha said.

He said Pulwama district, which used to remain in news for wrong reasons, witnessed a massive participation of youths in the rallies during the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

"Thousands of youths came out with the Indian flag and the world watched it. There were many villages in Shopian and Pulwama where neither the police nor the government officers used to go. Now, people from those villages are also participating," he added.

Reflecting on improvement in the situation in Kashmir Valley, Sinha said Lal Chowk, which used to be gloomy after sunset, now remains alive till late evenings.

Slogans of Bharat Mata are being raised in every city and village; there used to be 150 days of strikes in the Valley on the signal of the neighbouring country, but in the last five years there has been no strike, he said.

"The local terror recruitment is approaching zero. This year, there has been one recruitment till now. There used to be stone-pelting at one place or the other everyday, but it is history now," Sinha said.

"There was a time when a terrorist is killed, the whole Valley would remain shut, and schools and colleges would be closed. That has ended now," he added.

Referring to protests in Kashmir after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the L-G said now the people come out on the streets against terrorists.

"I had not witnessed this in five years, the way the people of Kashmir stood against terrorists and Pakistan for a week after the attack. Many elders said they have also never seen such a thing. I think there has been a huge change and the whole country is behind that transformation," he said. PTI SSB RUK RUK