NEW DELHI: Union home minister Rajnath Singh, in a bid to reach out to Kashmiri youth, will be meeting and interacting with college and university students in Srinagar during his visit to the state starting September 9. The dialogue is part of his continued engagement with all J&K stakeholders, during which he will also meet delegations of Kashmiri businessmen and industrialists, civil society representatives and minorities including Kashmiri pandits and Sikhs.

“The idea behind meeting young Kashmiris pursuing higher studies is to get an insight into their thought process and hear their grievances. This is for the first time that such an interaction is being included in the home minister’s continuing dialogue with J&K stakeholders,” said a source close to Singh.

The J&K visit, which will last four days with the home minister dividing his time between the Valley and Jammu region, comes in the wake of sustained action against terrorists in the Valley that has killed over 140 of them so far this year as well as amid apprehensions among the people of J&K regarding Article 35A being challenged in the Supreme Court.

During the Srinagar leg of the visit, the home minister will hold meetings with both governor N N Vohra and chief minister Mehboob Mufti. He will also review implementation of the PM’s economic package for J&K on Saturday.On the second day of his visit, Singh is scheduled to interact with CRPF and J&K police, which have together undertaken many successful anti-terror operations recently, in Anantnag. He will thereafter continue engaging with various stakeholders in Srinagar.

On Sunday evening, Singh is scheduled to take a comprehensive security review, during which Mehbooba and brass of the Army, CRPF and J&K police will be there.After holding a press conference in Srinagar on Monday, Singh will leave for Jammu. He will be visiting BSF border locations in Rajouri. Back in Jammu, the home minister will continue meeting stakeholders including traders, migrants, Kashmiri pandits and representatives of communities including Gujjars and Bakarwals.Singh will wind up his visit with a press interaction in Jammu.