A day after separatists shut door on the all-party delegation, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday hardened his position on Kashmir saying “it is and will be India’s integral part”, while keeping the option of talks open with all stakeholders open.
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Initially, the delegation was proposed to be of 29 Members of Parliament, but only 26 MPs have come here. Whatever happened you know about it.
They left the venue where the all-party delegation was meeting various groups and individuals and went to meet Geelani at his residence where he has been under house arrest.
On Wednesday, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir had hinted that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government would very soon initiate action against the separatists attempting to divide the nation.
“One fails to understand what hope to attach with a delegation which has not spelled out its mandate for any engagement on a clear agenda”, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said in a joint statement.
Asked if Government of India (GoI) will talk to Pakistan on Kashmir situation, Mr Singh said this is India’s internal matter and he is speaking to his countrymen. “We have taken everyone’s view and cooperation to improve the situation in Kashmir in the delegation-level talks”. “But what they did proves they have no faith in democracy”.
The separatists, according to the government, are not lending a helping hand to end the ongoing violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen’s self-styled commander Burhan Wani in July.
At least 74 persons, including two policemen, have been killed in the almost two months of violence.
Earlier in the day, the separatists rejected Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s invitation to them for meeting with all-party delegation, terming such a measure as “deceitful” and insisting that it can not be an alternative to a “transparent agenda-based dialogue to address the core issue”.
Visibly disappointed, the minister hinted that any chance of talks with the separatists in the near future was impossible. MPs of Opposition parties urged the government to also hold dialogues with all those affected by the prevailing situation in the state. They expressed their concerns over the situation in Kashmir and were of the opinion that the problems in the Valley should be resolved at the earliest. “The process of dialogue needs to continue”. “This is the time to work unitedly for bringing peace in Kashmir”, Yechury said.
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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the three-hour long meeting of the parliamentarians from 20 political parties.
