Srinagar: In a break with the past over a decade, people thronged in thousands to celebrate Independence Day in Srinagar with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed saying he will step down the day he felt people were not supporting his policies and programmes.

Around 15,000 people, including women and children from all over the Valley assembled in the Bakshi stadium, which was mostly empty during the celebrations earlier.

Bouyed by the presence of large number of them, Mufti assured the people that his coalition government would work for restoration of peace and dignity, provide responsive administration and make the state a model one.

However, he asked them to be patient as every ill cannot be cured overnight. "We have taken several measures to provide employment to the educated youth, motivate industrialists to invest in the state and streamline the administration. But much more remained to be done," Mufti said.

The Chief Minister renewed his appeal to the militants to abjure the path of violence as gun had no role in the present century.

Mufti said his government was making efforts to initiate talks between the Centre and the people of the state to resolve the internal dimensions of the Kashmir problem.

"I have requested the Prime Minister, his deputy and Opposition Congress president Sonia Gandhi to initiate talks with the people of the state to resolve the internal dimensions of the issue," the Chief Minister said amidst thunderous applause from the audience.

PTI