Lieutenant Governor’s Advisor Farooq Khan on Thursday said that jailing politicians and shutting internet services since August 5 saved lives in Kashmir.
Talking to reporterson sidelines of the 37th annual day function of SKIMS here, Advisor Khan said,”Shutting internet prevented spreading messages of hate and separatism due towhich no life was lost in Kashmir post August 5.”
“Under normalcircumstances we would have never stopped the internet. But you all know thecircumstances due to which we had to stop the services. We ensured that thereare no social media platforms to spread messages of hate and separatism. Andthis is the reason today we can proudly say that not a single life was lost,”said Khan.
He added: “Forensuring peace, people had to bear this brunt. But I assure you situation isbecoming normal very fast and the day is not far when we would be making use ofinternet facility.” However, Khan didn’t give any specific date for restorationof internet service in Kashmir.
“Primary reason toshut internet has been fulfilled. Human lives are more important than otherthings. You have to accept this,” he said.
Internet servicescontinue to remain shut on all platforms in Kashmir since August 5 when UnionGovernment abrogated J&K’s special status and bifurcated the State into twoUnion Territories.
On jailedpoliticians, Khan said that situation was being reviewed regularly followingwhich many politicians have already been released and many more will bereleased in future.
“There are regularassessments. We are not giving life imprisonment to anybody. To control thesituation, sometimes administration has to take stringent measures. But motiveis to save life and property,” Khan said.
Khan also said thatin order to end Kashmir’s electricity woes, additional 360 MW would be providedto the people for which transmission line will be ready by January next year.
He also saidorchardists who suffered losses in November snowfall will be adequatelycompensated.
“Orchardists havenot only lost one season’s crop, they have lost crop for the next 20 seasonsdue to uprooting of fruit trees. Now growers have to plant new trees. We willprovide them every possible help,” he assured.