Hurriyat’s readiness for talks encouraging; won’t give bouquets for bullets: Governor

Distributes free DD STBs among border dwellers; Hints at multiplex in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: In a major political and social outreach to Kashmiri separatists, Governor Satya Pal Malik on
Saturday hailed moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s willingness to enter into a dialogue
with the government, asserting these were encouraging signs of fast improving situation in the Valley.
Complimenting Mirwaiz for attempting to address social issues in Kashmir, the Governor also made clear
that the security forces have the right to retaliate when and if they are attacked.
Maintaining that death of each youth in Kashmir pains him deeply, Malik also urged upon the people in
Valley to maintain the beauty of paradise on earth, even as he revealed that efforts were on to open a
multiplex in the valley in order to provide an avenue for the entertainment-starved people here.
Governor Malik made these comments in the presence of Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and
Jitendra Singh at a function to launch Doordarshan's free Dish TV in Kashmir besides distribution of
30000 free Set Top Boxes in the State.
Malik said the same Hurriyat leaders who were earlier shutting their doors on dialogue, are now ready
for talks with the government.
The separatist Hurriyat today is a far cry from those days when they shut their doors on Ram Vilas
Paswan who had called on the separatist leaders to engage them in a dialogue, he said.
"The Hurriyat Conference was not willing to talk. Ram Vilas Paswan was standing at their door (in 2016),
but they were not ready to talk,” Malik said.
"Today, they are ready for talks and want to hold dialogue. There is a change in everyone. This is an
encouraging sign," he asserted.
He was referring to Hurriyat (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s recent statements in which he said that
the separatists were ready to talk with Centre and State government for peaceful resolution of conflict
in Valley.
Malik also hailed Mirwaiz for trying to address the social evils facing Kashmir.
He referred to yesterday's Friday sermon delivered at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar by Mirwaiz who
cautioned people to take care of their children against the growing drug abuse in Kashmir.
Mirwaiz had also asked the government to discharge its responsibility towards addressing the social evils
such as drug abuse in Kashmir.
Governor Malik said the concern shown by the Mirwaiz is welcome.
"Hurriyat's pro-active role in addressing social issues must be welcomed", the Governor said.
Malik said the situation in Kashmir had improved ever since he took over as the governor last August,
adding that recruitment of militants had almost stopped and stone-pelting incidents on Fridays had
ended.
"I feel good that the temperature (of the situation) has come down significantly since the day I arrived
here," he said.
"We do not feel good when a youth is killed, we want to bring him back. There is a lot of thought being
given as to what kind of scheme is needed to bring them back," Malik said.
"But when someone opens fire, the security forces will fire back. They would not present a bouquet of
flowers."
The governor hinted that it was not easy to assess the situation of Kashmir while sitting elsewhere in the
country even if one had served or lived in the valley for some time.

"When I visit Delhi, there are so many people who claim to be Kashmir hand. I ask them when were you
in Kashmir. They say 15 years ago," he said. "Kashmir changes in 15 days, you do not know anything. If
you want to know Kashmir, live there and see it."
Malik said when he came to the state he decided not to listen only to intelligence people.
"I am in touch with around 200 people and from them I have come to know about the problems. The
diseases have been diagnosed, the diseases are plenty but these can be cured. The narrative can be
changed, the prerequisite is that the intentions are good and sincere on both sides," he added.
Malik further said that efforts were on to open a multiplex in the valley in order to provide an avenue
for the entertainment-starved people here.
"I regret that there is nothing to do in Kashmir after 6 pm. Cinema halls are closed for decades now,
coffee-house licence will take four years to get. There is no place where you can go," Malik said.
"The people here are so lively that on holidays they will go to fields and parks to have their lunch there.
We have not been able to give them any avenue of entertainment," the governor said.
"Now we are trying to set up a multiplex. There is friend who is determined to establish a multiplex (in
Kashmir)."
Cinema halls in Kashmir were closed down in 1989 by militant groups at the time of the eruption of
insurgency. Efforts were made to revive some of the halls in early, but had to be closed again due to
grenade attacks by militants.
Malik said Doordarshan had fulfilled the need for credible news and information in a place like Kashmir
where "rumours become the news".
"There are so many rumours here that it takes three days to put them to rest. They become news," he
said. "So a medium that is credible, believable and with wide reach was needed. You've done that."
The governor said while there were many traditional forms of entertainment in villages, there were no
such things in cities. "They are dependent on TV and radio for entertainment, and DD Kashir has
addressed this problem to a large extent here," he added.
Earlier, Malik distributed DD Free Dish Set Top Boxes among identified beneficiaries. A total of 30,000
DD Free Dish Set Top Boxes are being distributed by Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the State.
Congratulating the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for taking the initiative of reaching out to the
people through Free Dish receivers, Governor observed that the today’s event marks a significant
milestone for making a head start towards achieving the goal of reaching out to the people living in the
far flung and border areas through the platform of DD Free Dish.
He said that through these set top boxes, authentic information will be disseminated to the border
residents where connectivity has always remained an issue.
In his address, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said India will soon
become the largest country in the world where every household has a television set.
"There is a new dream that every household will have a TV in the coming years. There are 25 crore
households in India and 18 crore have a TV set. There are still seven crore households without a TV,"
Javadekar said.
Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Development of North East
Region; MoS Prime Minister’s Office launched the first Dogri News Bulletin which will be aired at 6:15
pm everyday on DD Kashir.
The Lok Sabha MP from Udhampur said the Dogri bulletin on DD Kashir satellite channel was a long
pending demand of people in Jammu.
"Steps have been taken for promotion of Kashmiri language from time to time but similar steps for Dogri
were delayed. Both Kashmiri and Dogri are rich but underrated langauges," he said.
Later in the day, Javadekar and Singh met Governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan and discussed various
important issues, including the prevailing law and order situation in the state, strengthening the

connectivity through Dish set top boxes in border areas and also discussed various issues relating to
holistic development of the three regions of the State.