Rajnath Singh to embark on 2nd visit to Valley today

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will commence his two-day visit to violence-torn Jammu and Kashmir on 23 August. This will be his second visit in a month to the Valley that has been witnessing unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani for the last 45 days.

As many as 65 people, including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousand injured in clashes that began on 9 July.

The visit comes a day after a joint opposition delegation led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi had expressed his "deep concern and pain" over the situation and asked all political parties to work together to find a "permanent and lasting" solution to problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister had drawn flak for not speaking on the Kashmir unrest and increasing casualties in the state while choosing to comment on Pakistan's atrocities on Balochistan and PoK.

According to a PTI report, in an effort to reach out to people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre is in the process of providing employment opportunities to 1.40 lakh youths in the state through various means, including skill development training and jobs in police and paramilitary forces. hat peace and normalcy should be restored in Kashmir by holding talks with "our own people".

Singh had said the central government will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state. "As far as Government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we dont just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir," he said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state.

--With inputs from agencies