Underlining the need to address the "anger of Kashmiri Youths",Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that their "legitimate aspirations" must be respected and hoped that government efforts will bring the cycle of violence in the Valley to an end. "Jammu and Kashmir has a special place in our polity. It is an integral part of India and peace in this region is of paramount importance. While violence is not a solution and must be contained,the anger manifesting itself amongst Kashmiri youth in particular must also be addressed. We must respect their legitimate aspirations," Gandhi said in the party mouthpiece "Congress Sandesh". In her column "Letter to the Congresspersons",she said that the violence and tension witnessed in the state in the last few months has arisen after many years during which the state saw growing stability and successful democratic elections. The Congress President said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken "effective steps" to reach out to people in J&K by calling an all-party meeting over the issue which was followed by an all-party delegation led by Home Minister P Chidambaram visiting the state and interacting with leaders of different groups both in Srinagar and Jammu. "We hope that continued dialogue and concrete policy initiatives,which have been announced by the government on September 4 will lead to an end to the ongoing cycle of violence," she said.
