Asserting that the identity and culture of people of Jammu and Kashmir will be preserved, Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday said restrictions after the abrogation of Article 370 were necessary to prevent any civilian causalities.
The Internet is a handy tool for anti-national elements and the restoration of connections will be deferred for some more time, Malik said while addressing his first press conference after the state's special status was revoked on August 5.
He promised that services will be resumed gradually. "Mobile phone connectivity is getting restored in Kupwara and Handwara districts in Kashmir valley. Soon connectivity in rest of the districts in the Valley will also be operational," Malik told reporters.
"Every Kashmiri life is valuable to us, we don't want loss of even a single life," Malik said and claimed that there has been no civilian casualty after restrictions were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir in wake of the abrogation of Article 370.
He admitted that pellet guns were used by security personnel during protests in the Kashmir Valley and said forces took utmost precaution taken to prevent injuries. "Only the few who got violent are injured, they also have below the waist injuries," Malik said.
The Governor announced 50,000 government jobs and said the Jammu and Kashmir administration will appeal to the youth to get involved with full vigour in the coming 2-3 months to fill these positions.
Explaining the rationale behind cutting off internet and phone connectivity, Malik said, "The medium of phone and internet is used less by us and mostly by terrorists and Pakistanis as well as for mobilisation & indoctrination. It is a kind of weapon used against us so we have stopped it."
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)