Home Minister Rajnath Singh-led all-party delegation of parliamentarians on Monday concluded its two-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir with optimism that the ongoing situation would be tackled effectively by the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition Government.
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Hurriyet leaders refused to talk to the MPs who had gone in their individual capacity and not as a part of the delegation from Delhi.
“But whatever information those friends gave us upon their return, it can be said it was not “Kashmiriyat” It cannot be called as Insaniyat (humanity)”. It can not be called Insaniyat (humanity). “As they (separatists) don’t want to talk, it is not even “jamhuriat’ (democracy)”, he added. We are ready to talk to everyone who wants peace”, he said.
Besides the chief minister and Governor NN Vohra, the 26 parliamentary delegates from 20 political parties met with more than thirty delegations of political parties, civil society, university teachers and vice chancellors, fruit growers, students and “intellectuals”, Rajnath said.
Singh, at a brief press conference, said the Kashmir visit could not be described as a failure.
On the second day of its visit, the delegation visited Jammu where the members met over 200 persons in about 18 different delegations from various sections of society. “It should instead become serious in finding a peaceful and long- lasting solution to the vexed Kashmir issue and initiate steps for its resolution, which would not only help in restoring peace in Kashmir but also create an environment for development and prosperity in entire South Asia”, it said in a statement.
On the use of pellet guns against protesters, the home minister said he had promised an alternative during his visit on July 24, “A committee was set up which has come up with the alternative of PAVA shells which have been dispatched to the state authorities”, he said.
To a query about possibility of “Track-2” talks on Kashmir, Mr. Singh said he did not wish to enter into a debate about “track-one, track-two or track-three”. “I have been told that Mehbooba had sent letters (to Hurriyat leaders)”, he said and clarified that it was her own initiative as the PDP president.
This, Rajnath Singh said, “was certainly neither “Kashmiriyat” nor “insaniyat” (humane)”.
NCP’s Tariq Anwar and Trinamool Congress’ Saugata Roy, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut and Anandrao Adsul, TDP’s Thota Narasimham, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Prem Singh Chandumajra, BJD’s Dilip Tirkey, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, AIUDF’s Badaruddin Ajmal and Muslim League’s E Ahamed will be party of the delegation.
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On Sunday, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani turned back CPI (M)’s Sitaram Yechury, JD (U)’s Sharad Yadav, D Raja of the CPI, Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav of the RJD – all leaders of opposition parties at the Centre – from the gates of his Hyderpora home in Srinagar.
