Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz on Wednesday met Governor N. N. Vohra at the Raj Bhavan here today to discuss the prevailing unrest and the difficulties being faced by people.
A spokesman said the Governor stressed the crucial importance of peace being restored in the state and urged Prof. Soz to sustain his initiatives in this regard.
The spokesman added that Soz told the Governor that public perception on the use of SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) by the forces was that it was violated in routine, which was responsible for large scale killings recently especially, the killings of teenagers. He told him further that SOP violation was possible simply because AFSPA was a lethal law through the use of which atrocities took place. Soz invited his attention to the killing of five teenagers, the other day, at Aripanthan (Beerwa), District Budgam and Larkipora, Anantnag.
He pleaded with the Governor that the public perception on this situation must be taken notice of, rather seriously.
Among other issues of public concern, Soz according to the spokesman explained to the Governor that it would not serve any purpose for the Central and State Administration to push the Hurriyat leadership to the wall. “On the other hand, Govt. of India should have approached that institution to reach the people and understand how best Kashmir issue could be resolved. The Governor, on his part, assured Soz that the plea made would be subjected to notice, at appropriate levels.”
(CNS)
