SRINAGAR, Aug 25:Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said those hit by bullets or pellets had not gone to fetch milk or toffees.
Cm Mehbooba faced some tough questions from reporters in a joint press conference with Home Mnister Rajnath Singh and was asked how could she justify the alleged disproportionate use of force against protesters when as opposition leader she had criticised the government in 2010 for civilian killings.
Mehbooba got angry and asked a reporter not to compare the two situations.
"You are wrong. What happened in 2010 had a reason. There was a fake encounter in Machil. Three civilians were killed. Today three militants were killed in an encounter and how is the government to be blamed for that."
She said that people came out on the roads after the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani even though the government had imposed a strict curfew.
"Had a kid gone to buy a toffee from an army camp? A 15-year-old boy who attacked a police station (in south Kashmir), had he gone to buy milk? Don't compare the two," she said.
Mehbooba said "Ninety-five percent people don't want violence. They want peace. They want a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue. We have to reach out to them."
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