J&K youth wants to move on, clear that their future is with PM Modi-led India: MoS Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on November 5 said Jammu and Kashmir's youth wants to move on and are clear that their future is with PM Narendra Modi led India.

"The most important thing is that the psyche of the common man, more so the youth, is that now they want to move on. Now, they are very clear that their future is with mainstream India led by PM Narendra Modi. And they do not want to miss the opportunity as they are aspirational youth," the Minister of State for PMO and Personnelsaid in a exclusive interview with News18.

Speaking on Home Minister Amit Shah's remark about him choosing to talk to the youth of J&K instead of Pakistan, Singh said its the "right and pragmatic approach."

"Amit Shah’s statement goes with the policy of reaching out to the common masses in Jammu & Kashmir, and more so the youth. Majority of the population is comprised of the youth. That is the right and pragmatic approach," he said.

Singh, who holds the minister of state (MoS) title for a number of departments including that of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), claimed that "militancy is very much in control" in J&K. Speaking about the recent attacks on civilians in J&K he said that terrorism in the region is in its last phase and that terrorists are on their way out.

"Firstly, if you go statistically and compare the figures of the earlier years, particularly those before 2014, there is a sea of change and this is the last phase of militancy and they (terrorists) are on their way out."

The number of killings – both civilians and security personnel – which have happened in last seven years is a very small fraction compared to earlier, he further added.

Calling PM Modi's vision for J&K 'clear' and 'forthright' since 2014, he said: "In 2014, right after his government came to power, the first challenge in the region was the floods that happened in the Kashmir valley and the entire capital city of Srinagar was under water. The PM has been repeatedly visiting J&K since and spent his first Diwali in Kashmir. That time he was with the flood-affected people. This Diwali, he was with soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir. That personal outreach of the PM has been a great asset because he commands huge appeal."