Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, today said separatists should not choose to meet only the Pakistan High Commissioner and felt that the All Party Delegation’s visit was “fruitful” though it did not give the desired result.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the delegation “tried to reach out to everyone” but it is the Government that has to identify the stakeholders.
Azad said the talks have not given “desired results” but efforts have been made and remained fruitful.
“The separatists also should not choose to meet Pakistan High Commissioner only. Everyone wants to find a solution to the Kashmir issue. Everyone in the country is worried about the situation,” Azad said, a day after Hurriyat leaders rebuffed attempts by some MPs to hold talks with them.
He said that Congress wants that the door for talks should be kept open.
“Some friends tried to reach out to Hurriyat. At some places they succeeded, at some they did not,” Azad said.
On the issue of Kashmiri Pandits, Azad said, “In the three round table conferences they participated. Why they are not coming is a surprise. The suggestions made by them were addressed then. They could have come today also…. Time is no concern when Parliament plans to discuss an issue.”
“Kashmiri people are suffering. Nothing is working. We want peace to come to the Valley. It was a fruitful visit where good suggestions were received,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Minis-ter and senior Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav, a member of the APD, today questioned Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to invite the Hurriyat Confer-ence for talks in her capacity as PDP president, asking whether she was playing “hide and seek”.
He also said that the BJP and PDP have not worked properly on their agenda of alliance for running the Government.
“The two parties (BJP and PDP) have not worked properly on implementing the agenda of alliance. We should talk to everyone. Why was invitation extended by Mehbooba as party president? Why is she playing a hide-n-seek?” Yadav said here.
He added that he has told Hurriyat leaders, who have refused to meet the APD that some day they will have to come to the talking table.
“I told them (Hurriyat) that you people will have to talk some day or the other. They said they will talk to us when they are in Delhi,” he added.
Urging the Centre to start an unconditional dialogue with all stakeholders, including separatists, to restore normalcy in violence-hit Kashmir, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who was also part of the delegation, said Hurriyat Conference leaders’ refusal to meet them was not a snub.
Meanwhile, echoing the same sentiments, senior CPI leader D Raja, one of the MPs who went to meet Hurriyat leaders yesterday, said separatists refusal to meet was not a snub as they are angry because of their detention from last around two months.
“The Centre and State Governments have to take the political dialogue forward now. They should start an unconditional political dialogue with all stakeholders, including separatists,” Raja told reporters.
“They met us. Only one (hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani) didn’t. However, they refused to speak on Kashmir issue,” he added.
Similarly, Raja advocating for unconditional talks with all stakeholders, including separatists, said there is no alternative to dialogue process to resolve the issues.
“They (separatists) didn’t talk about Kashmir yesterday, but it is not their permanent stand. We will make such attempts in the future as well to start a meaningful dialogue process with everyone including separatists,” Raja said.
“They (separatists) are angry. They have been confined to their houses or detained from so many days,” he added.
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