Adopting a tough stance, separatists rebuffed attempts by five opposition MPs to talk to them even as an all-party parliamentary delegation explored ways to end the 56-day-old unrest by holding discussions with chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and some other mainstream leaders.
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Asked whether separatists would also come under the purview of “stakeholders”, MoS in PMO said the Home Minister is open for dialogue with “all stake holders”.
The delegation would meet in Delhi and discuss the future action plan. Before winding up the visit, the Home Minister sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir would always remain an integral part of India.
Aomprehensive review of Kashmir policy is on the cards, sources said.
The separatists for their part had asked “people like Rajnath Singh” not to give them lessons in democracy, and rejected the talks because they had no specific agenda.
“A delegation consisting of members from 20 political parties flew down to Srinagar to engage people”. We neither said yes or no for it. You know what happened. I do not wish to go into the details. The all-party parliamentary delegation’s call evoked mixed reactions today with opposition National Conference saying it can not lay claim to a “single achievement” but some others terming it as “significant”.
Locals heckled the trio, asking why the government did not release separatist leaders if it wanted to talk to them.
“All the imams of the Dargahs of Indiashould form a delegation under Rajnath Singhand visit Kashmir and talk about the Sufism Bill.then this problem will get solved”, he added.
“Why should we go to them?” We talked about the Kashmir issue.
Yechury, who faced a snub from Geelani on September 4, said he had not given up on the mission to bring peace in Kashmir.
Interacting with media after the meeting, Yechury said that his party has sought replacement of pellet guns. “About 1000 shells have arrived here”, he said. “But yes, we have received many a suggestions in the last 24 hours as we met 30 delegations and some 300 people, including civil society members and intellectuals”.
Omar also spoke of “continuous failure of the state government and its dilly dallying tactics”.
“I am hopeful that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve”.
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But a key member of the group, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, will be skipping the meet.Azad, who once was Jammu & Kashmir chief minister, is now busy with the Congress’ Uttar Pradesh election campaign for which he’s travelling across the state with Rahul Gandhi. Geelani, however, refused to meet them. It is not only shameful but speaks volumes about their truthfulness, sincerity and clarity.
