The Home Minister is in Jammu and Kashmir leading an all-party delegation to meet different sections of the society in the state.
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The all-party delegation, which recently visited Kashmir to find a solution for restoring peace in the Valley, said on Wednesday that the PDP-BJP government in the state has failed to tackle the situation amicably. However, some members of the delegation went to meet the Hurriyat leaders in their individual capacity. When someone goes for talks and they reject it, it is not jamhooriyat (democracy) as well.
Commenting on the use of pellet guns by the paramilitary forces, the Home Minister said the government has given an alternative to pellet guns-Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide (PAVA)-which will be used within a period of two months.
Addressing the media, Ram Madhav said a blueprint of action is being drawn for Jammu and Kashmir and that it will be discussed at the all-party meet on Wednesday.
The all-party delegation members, including CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, CPI (M) MLA Yousuf Tarigami and Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav, have left to meet separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
“Ham chahte the doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani ho jaye (we wanted the truth to come out)”, said the source, privy to the entire peace process. We all want that things in Kashmir need to improve.
Singh, however, while speaking to reporters on Monday, said that the delegation interacted with over 400 representatives of various mainstream political parties, civil society groups and trade unions over two days and the engagements, he maintained, were “fruitful”.
The centre will also scrutinise their bank accounts and complete investigations in cases involving them as it seeks to send out a strong message against inciting young people in Kashmir, torn by violent clashes that have left over 70 people dead and almost 10,000 injured since July 8, when Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed.
Rajnath Singh said the behaviour of separatist leaders towards the MPs was “certainly not Kashmiriyat”.
At least 74 persons have been killed and over 12,000 injured in the weeks of the turmoil, the deadliest Kashmir has seen in six years.
At the three-hour long meeting of the APD, which visited the state on September 4-5, demands were made for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue, confidence building measures and a “dual track” approach for bringing peace in the restive Valley.
“Kashmir was, is and will remain an integral part of India”, the Home Minister said.
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Singh asserted that “the doors and windows for dialogue” on Kashmir were always open but ruled out any talks with Pakistan on the issue in near future saying, “Let us first talk with the people within our country”.
