Here’s how Kashmiri papers reported on the Mehbooba-Rajnath presser

The joint press conference with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the Valley yesterday received front-page space today across national and Kashmiri dallies. This was the chief minister’s first press conference since Kashmir spiralled into violence after Hizbul militant Burhan Wani was shot dead by security forces in Anantnag.

The press conference, when it came to Mufti answering questions, got a little heated as a Valley journalist suggested that Mufti is no different from former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah when it comes to handling protests. Mufti asserted that miscreants were using children as a shield to attack the forces and that she was for dialogue. She ended the presser abruptly after stating that stone-pelting will not lead to a resolution.

Here’s how some of the Kashmiri papers reported on the press conference.

Kashmir Reader gave an account of the presser and what journalists had to say to Mufti’s statement that only five per cent in Kashmir were creating havoc.

A journalist shouted “yeh bagawat hain (it is a rebellion)”.

“Why don’t you hold a rally of the 95 per cent, Mehbooba jee?” shouted another journalist.

Mehbooba replied, “Unfortunately miscreants use children as a shield to attack camps. They want young children should get killed and blinded.”

Another journalist shouted, “People on roads want Azadi.”

Rising Kashmir went with the headline ‘Rajnath’s carrot, Mehbooba’s stick’, highlighting Singh’s statement that the Centre will talk to all stakeholders and Mehbooba’s statement that miscreants would be dealt with strictly.

Kashmir Monitor led with the headline “Pellet guns to be replaced soon: Rajnath”.  It also had a kicker above the story on Mufti stating: “Loses cool, leaves first presser midway”.

Greater Kashmir highlighted Singh’s statement that the Indian state will reach out to all stakeholders in J&K within the ambit of “Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat”.