Maintaining that security forces were playing an important role in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday linked their deployment pattern to the extent of terrorism.
Inaugurating the third round table conference on Kashmir in Delhi, he said the government was committed to ensure that terrorism as well as human rights violations and "undue harassment" of people was "minimised."
Dr Singh chose to side-step the recent controversial and provocative speech made by ageing Hurriyat Conference firebrand leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in his opening remarks.
Geelani had made the speech on Sunday at Idgah Maidan in Srinagar.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad, former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference chief Omar Abdullah, National Pather Party chief Bhim Singh, Dr Agnishekhar of Punan Kashmir, Yusuf Tarigami of Communist Party-Marxist and local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party are participating in the deliberations.
Image: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh talks with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during the third Round Table Conference at Dr Singh's residence in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Photographs: Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images
Also see:
PM links J&K troop reduction to terrorism
J&K conferences 'making good progress'
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