As Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the visit of an all-party delegation to Srinagar and Jammu, there were indications Tuesday that the government was likely to harden its stand against Kashmiri separatists.
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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. “We would speak with the stone-pelting youth, and would try to convince them in the light of Quran, Hadith and traditions of great Sufi saints to abandon violence”, Raza said.
The home minister also hit out at Kashmiri separatists saying they did not believe in Kashmiriyat or insaaniyat.
He said the Centre is giving full support to the state government which is also trying to bring improvement in the situation.
“Some members of delegation went to meet Hurriyat leaders”.
To a query on track-2 channel talks, Singh said he did not wish to enter in the debate of “track-one, track-two or track-three”. “I do not want to get into this debate”, he said. Because this is where the solution would be found, he said. “There is no second opinion about the fact that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will remain an integral part of India”.
“Everyone wants that the situation must improve”.
“Not only our doors but windows are also open for talks”, the Union Minister said.
Singh led a delegation of 26 MPs from 20 parties in Srinagar. We talked about the Kashmir issue.
Public anger is also raging against the government’s refusal to explicitly ban the use of pellet guns that has injured thousands of protesters. The delegation has failed in giving a concrete roadmap for ending the stalemate that has been engulfing the state for over two months now, he said. The committee gave its report ahead of time and now PAVA has come.
In Jammu too, the all-party delegation was greeted with protests as soon as they landed.
“We are willing to talk”.
“Do not take it outside the country”, he said. The Parliament is the highest panchayat of a democracy and it’s very serious about Kashmir issue.
The separatists had refused talks with the team, which was in the Valley on September 4 and 5 to take stock of the situation and suggest ways to restore calm in the Valley.
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Sources said the members of the all-party delegation will chalk out future plans for Jammu and Kashmir in their meeting on Wednesday. Until and unless this is not stopped normalcy will not return to the Valley, it was also stated. “Government must take follow up action and constitute a committee of senior parliamentarians to initiate the dialogue process with all stakeholders which includes separatists”, he said, adding “it brooks no delay”.
