Future of Kashmiris secure with India: PC
SRINAGAR | NEW DELHI: An all-party delegation, headed by Union home minister P Chidambaram, arrived in Srinagar with an “open mind” to take stock of the situation in the Kashmir Valley.
The delegation landed at the Srinagar international airport in a special plane amid tight security and headed for the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Complex on the edge of the Dal Lake where it met political leaders from mainstream parties and prominent citizens from the valley.
Mr Chidambaram said: “Each major political party in Jammu and Kashmir has been allotted 15 minutes. It should be used to the best advantage.” “We hope and believe that the honour, dignity and future (of Kashmiris) are secure as part of India,” he added.
However, the 15-minute deadline, put off PDP, with Ms Mehbooba Mufti deciding to stay away in protest. She, instead, sent a party contingent.
With Hurriyat leaders deciding to stay away, the 39-member all-party delegation did the next best thing. They formed smaller groups which, in turn, met separatists such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a hardliner, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik. The meetings signalled the Centre’s readiness to resume dialogue with all shades of opinion in the Kashmir Valley, including the various Hurriyat factions.
A five-member group comprising Mr Sitaram Yechury (CPM), former Union minister T R Baalu (DMK), Mr Ratan Singh Ajnala (Akali Dal), Mr Nama Nageswara Rao (TDP) and Mr Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) met Mr Geelani at his home, a move which was seen as an attempt to reach out to the various factions of the Hurriyat. The team was led by Mr Yechury.
The sub-group which met Mr Geelani was handed a five-point charter of demands. The meeting, first of its kind that was televised live, took place at the ailing leader’s residence at the initiative of the all-party delegation.
“Chidambaram has rightly said that we (India) had made pledges and commitments to Kashmir and it is time to accept them. We have the same demand,” the Hurriyat hardliner told the delegation.
“Restoration of normalcy will just remain a dream unless India accepts the five points we have made.” he added.
Mr Geelani, it may be mentioned, has been insisting for the last two months that New Delhi should accept Kashmir as a dispute, set free prisoners, demilitarise the region, punish the personnel guilty of gross violations of human rights and withdraw the black laws. These points, he said, are a pre-requisite for restoring normalcy and could become base for political engagement in immediate future.
“He (Geelani) has his point of view (on Kashmir) and the government of India has its own viewpoint,” Mr Yechury told newspersons after the meeting, adding: “We will take up the five points with the government of India.”
The move was welcomed by Ms Mufti. “Hope meeting with separatists will be start of new process,” she told a news channel later in the day. The PDP leader added, at the same time, that most of the meetings with the all-party team are stage-managed.(the economic times)
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