However, the home minister, who was flanked by Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS in Prime Minister’s Office, and the Union home secretary, didn’t answer questions on whether the Centre will hold unconditional dialogue with the Hurriyat on the Kashmir issue.
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“Do not you think, it looks odd that you arrest a person and then tell him to talk”, one journalist, who has been covering the All Party Delegation’s visit said. Saugata Roy (AITC); Dilip Tirkey (BJD); Sitaram Yechury, (CPI (M)); Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD); D. Raja, (CPI); Dushyant Chautala, (INLD); E. Ahmad (IUML); and Tiruchi Siva (DMK).
The Home Minister said that during the delegation’s interaction with political parties, civil society groups, the vice-chancellors of different universities, fruit growers, students, and intellectuals, it found that everyone was in favour of peace.
Expressing serious concern over the incumbent situation in the State, the statement said “there can be no compromises on the issues of national sovereignty”.
“We have come to know that the delegation is spending just a few hours in meeting various sections in Jammu which implies that the views of those living in the region are not important enough for the central and state governments to be communicated to the delegation”, he said. Without making any reference to separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the APD statement asked the Central and state governments “to take steps for a dialogue with all stake holders”.
As the president of Peoples Democratic Party, and not as chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti has sent a letter to the Hurriyat leaders on Saturday, urging them to meet with the delegation members to resolve the prevailing crisis. He did not elaborate.
Meanwhile, in a fresh escalation in the continuing Indo-Pak war of words, army chief General Raheel Sharif has spoken about “raining” of bullets on people in the Kashmir Valley and made veiled references to India by talking of “covert and overt intrigues of enemies”.
Among other issues raised before the delegation included carrying out plebiscite as per United Nations resolution and discussions held with separatists as well as Pakistan, said the note circulated among the members of the APD at a meeting here today.
He said the Government is open to discussion with all.
Backing the demand for self-determination in Kashmir, he said the “oppressed people” of the Valley are once again suffering “worst form of state terrorism” and “repression” for demanding their due rights.
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“We are fully aware of all covert and overt intrigues and intentions of our enemies”.
