Kashmir problem centered around just three valley districts: Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Sunday said the problem in Jammu and Kashmir was not widespread but centered around just "three and a half districts" in the valley.

Addressing an Aaj Tak Editors round-table on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's completion of three years in office, Shah said the BJP government was making every effort to bring peace to Kashmir Valley, which has been on the boil for the past many weeks.

"The problem in Kashmir is a problem of three and a half districts," Shah said, apparently referring to two south Kashmir districts and Srinagar where violent anti-government protests have been rampant.

The situation has worsened due to protests by college and school students in Srinagar and parts of south Kashmir.

Shah said the Kashmir issue was not just six months old but has been lingering on since decades. He blamed the previous Congress government for causing the problem but didn't elaborate.

"(The) Kashmir problem emerged because of the Congress. We (the Modi government) have been taking steps to win hearts (of Kashmiris," he said.

Shah recalled how Modi reached Kashmir "before the (then) Chief Minister" Omar Abdullah reached out to people when a disastrous flood hit the valley in September 2014.

The BJP chief said the security forces were maintaining strict vigil on the situation in the state and checking cross-border infiltration of militants from Pakistan.

He said the Modi government had "made more efforts to improve relationships with Pakistan than any other government".