No LeT hand in Kashmir stone-pelting: Govt.

New Delhi : While there are no definite reports to suggest that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is behind the stone-pelting in the Kashmir valley, their role in provoking militancy in the state cannot be denied, the Indian Minister of State for Home said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

At least 108 people have been killed in anti-India protests led by the separatists in Kashmir since June 11, prompting the Centre to initiate talks with the various groups in the state, propose greater autonomy and depute an all-party delegation to the Valley.

However, minister Ajay Maken said that the violence and stone-pelting incidents have considerably come down after Sep. 21.

The Central Government has supported the Government of Jammu & Kashmir in tackling the law and order situation in the State by deployment of additional Central Para-Military Forces from time to time, he said.

The Central and State governments made several appeals for dialogue and peace to resolve the situation.

An All Parties Delegation visited J&K on Sep. 21-22 and met different sections of people. The Government announced an 8 point package which is under implementation, Maken said.

On Oct. 13, 2010, the government had also appointed journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and economist and Information Commissioner M M Ansari as interlocutors to the state.

The group was appointed to hold sustained dialogue with a wide range of important representatives of political and public opinion to draw up a road map for a permanent settlement of the political problem in Jammu & Kashmir.

The government on Tuesday had said that it has examined the recommendations made in the first report by interlocutors appointed for the state and have has already started implementing a number of those.