'Give me one chance,' Mehbooba Mufti appeals to protesters in Kashmir

NEW DEHLI: Indian held Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has sought the help of separatist Hurriyat Conference in ending violent protests in the state, after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.

"Everyone wants the bloodshed to stop. But dialogue can only happen with those who want it. I appeal to the Hurriyat to help in getting peace back on the streets, to stop the killings," Ms Mufti said.

Addressing the protesters directly, Ms Mufti said, "I appeal to all the boys who are out on the street, to everyone. I may have got angry with you and you may be angry with me, but give me a chance".

According to sources, Ms Mufti presented a 'three point plan' to help deescalate tension in the Valley in a 45-minute meeting with the Indian Prime Minister. An important plank of the plan, sources have told NDTV, is opening up a Track 2 dialogue with the hardline Hurriyat Conference. The BJP and the PDP have already started discussing names of potential interlocutors who are outside the government.

"There will be talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. There needs to be an institution for it," Ms Mufti said after the meeting.

In Srinagar, senior PDP leader Dr Mehboob Beg, also appealed to hardline Hurriyat leader, Syed Ahmed Shah Geelani to treat Ms Mufti as his own daughter.

"Geelani sahab must think of Mehbooba Mufti as his daughter, who also happens to be the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to lead our state," Mr Beg said today.

Kashmir has been under curfew for the last 50 days since protest broke out over the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8. Around 70 people have died since and over 11,000 been injured in clashes.

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