The leader of the youngest of the Congressmen, from its student wing NSUI, has justified stone-pelting in Kashmir.

A Muslim face from Kashmir, Fairoz Khan told MAIL TODAY that stone-pelting was only an "angry reaction" to the "chaos" that had been wreaked in the Valley by the government.

"Spread chaos and there will be rebellion," Khan said, in a conversation with MAIL TODAY. Pointing out the reason behind the chaos, Khan also said there is a trust deficit between the government and people in Kashmir.

Khan was sworn as national president of the National Students Union of India at the party's national office in New Delhi on Thursday amid the attendance of party's senior leaders Raj Babbar, Amrita Dhawan and NSUI representatives from Telangana, Rajasthan and Kashmir.

Taking a cautious stand on the vexed issue of "azadi" in the Valley, Khan called himself a proud Muslim and a proud Indian.

"If the Muslims or the Kashmiris wanted to go to Pakistan, they would have done that in 1947," said Khan.

Explaining the conditions which have led to this situation, Khan said, "In places like Kashmir, there is frustration. Conditions are not good and students want jobs. For me, the issue of Kashmir has gone out of the government's hands now. And now, they (government) are confused."

'AFSPA HAVING A DRASTIC IMPACT'

Calling Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) a temporary law which has exhausted its stay in the valley, Khan also said, "AFSPA is a temporary law. You cannot have a law like AFSPA for a long time. It will have its side effects and it is currently having a drastic impact on the younger generation."

"You have such laws for a temporary period of time during a problem. It is not just AFSPA but any such law should be repealed," Khan added.

Criticising the NDA for disappointing the youth, Khan said students had voted for BJP in 2014 for the jobs promised. "But where are those two crore jobs promised to the youth of the country," Khan asked.

"What happened to BJP government's promise on Article 370? They are simply fooling the people in Kashmir. The party has diverted from their promises by creating distractions like sloganeering of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', 'love jihad', 'problems in JNU and tribal areas'. They have an agenda," Khan said, accusing the ruling party of not fulfilling their electoral promises.

Hinting at his active involvement in student politics, Khan has said the current dispensation should expect protests from him in the coming two years of his tenure.

"We will fight with the government to build the gap between young generation and current government. The government should expect protests from me. They know who I am," NSUI's latest entrant said.

Distinguishing the RSS-backed Bharatiya Janta Party government from his parent party, Khan also said, "Unlike Indian National Congress, BJP does not have founding fathers. India's founding fathers have gone now. BJP cannot draw inspiration from anyone because they do not have founding fathers."

TALKS THE ONLY SOLUTION

There is only one solution for the situation in Kashmir and that peace and talks are the only ways to solve the problem, Khan said.

"We have to understand their (people in Kashmir) conditions and expectations. We need to take decisions in the manner Indira Gandhi did. If people, and especially girls in a society like Kashmir, are coming out on roads, it is because they are feeling alienated," the Kashmiri student leader added.

Fairoz Khan has been appointed as NSUI president for two years on June 12 by Congress vice-president and in-charge of frontal organisations Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul had appointed a screening committee to shortlist a student union leader for the role of presidentship of the All India NSUI and had also interviewed candidates. Following this, Fairoz was selected as party's national president.

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