The Centre has made the decision to withdraw stone-throwing cases against minors in the Valley, said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, while asking youth to shun the ‘path of destruction’.
Rajnath said he saw a ray of hope in the youth which was possible by their active participation in sports activities, besides studies. He announced huge sops for sports infrastructure development in the state.
“As far as the question of our children is concerned, I want to say that children are children. Anybody can mislead them but we understand the reality. Those who had been misled, those children…(for) who had intentionally or unintentionally committed the mistake…we made the decision to withdraw the cases of stone-pelting,” Rajnath, who is on a two-day visit to the state, said while addressing sportspersons and youth at the SK Indoor Sports Stadium here.
Even as the Union Home Ministry had late last year ordered withdrawal of cases against youths involved in stone-throwing, the Valley witnessed more street protests this year.
The Home Minister urged the youth to choose the ‘path of development’ like their counterparts in the country. “Umeed ka ujala (a ray of hope) can happen only with ‘karamat’ (miracle) of sports and power of education,” he said.
Asking the youth to choose ‘taraqi’ (development) and not ‘tabahi’ (destruction), Rajnath said: “If you choose development, the state will develop. Please join this development chain and herald in a new dawn in J&K.”
On the occasion, the Union Minister felicitated prominent sportspersons — Parvez Rasool (cricket), Manzoor Ahmad Pandav (cricket), Mehrajuddin Wadoo (football), Real Kashmir Club (football), Palak Kaur (gymnastics) and Balween Kaur (gymnastics).
Sports prodigy hugs Rajnath, melts hearts
Bubbling with excitement, Kashmir’s nine-year-old kickboxing sensation Tajamul Islam hugged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and took a selfie with him when she was being felicitated for her achievements. Tajamul took Rajnath, who was flanked by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh at an event here, by surprise when she hugged him instead of shaking hands, bringing smiles to everyone. The video of Tajamul hugging the Home Minister went viral on social media, drawing appreciation from the netizens. “It’s refreshing to see the spontaneity of our youth! All the best to you, Tajamul,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter. PTI
PDP youth leader’s work lauded
On Thursday, when Home Minister Rajnath Singh a jam-packed indoor stadium in Srinagar, he did not forget to laud the efforts of Waheed Ur Rehman Para, youth president of the PDP, for channelling the energy of the state youth in a positive direction. Para said the Home Minister had acknowledged the efforts which they had been passionately pursuing with limited resources for the past three years.
Announcement receives applause
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said it was his ‘first experience’ where he had addressed a young audience at the Sports Conclave
Announcement to withdraw stone-throwing cases against minors was received with a loud applause
J&K State Sports Council secretary Waheed Ur Rehman Parra lauded by the HM for ‘channelling the energy of youth of state in a positive direction’
