SRINAGAR, 24 October 2021, (TON): In an apparent attempt to address the disgruntlement of Kashmiri’s youth with New Delhi, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah on his visit to the region said he came to extend a hand of “friendship” to the young people.

Shah is on his first visit to the disputed region after architecting the nullification of Indian-administered Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status under the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019, which was followed by a crippling communication and military lockdown for months.

The three-day visit of Shah comes in the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in the region, which has seen an uptick in the violence resulting in 38 killings in 20 days of this month – including 11 civilians, 17 rebels and 10 security personnel.

While addressing young people during an interaction with the region’s youth clubs, the union home minister sought their cooperation in strengthening “democracy” in Kashmir.

“I have come here to extend friendship,” Shah said. “Come and connect with Modi ji, connect with the Indian government,” he said, indicating Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I have come here to seek your cooperation. The administration has extended its hand of friendship towards you. Come forward and strengthen the democracy here. No one would be allowed to disrupt the peace in Kashmir. From the perspective of peace, development and infrastructure, this is the ideal situation and no one would be allowed to stop it.”

While justifying the decision of the internet shutdown two years ago, Shah said the curfew in the valley and ban in the aftermath of abrogation of Jammu Kashmir’s special status and bifurcation into two union territories was done to protect Kashmiri lives.