Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Oct 24: A five-member Civil Society delegation led by senior BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha today met separatist leaders here in an attempt to break over three-month impasse in Kashmir.
The 5 member delegation led by Sinha and including Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Kapil Kak, former chairman of National Commission for Minorities, Wajahat Habibullah, senior Journalist Bharat Bhushan and Executive Director of the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation Shashooba Barway, after landing in Srinagar called on Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his residence in Hyderpora and later met chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Faroooq, former Hurriyat Conference chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat and senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah.
Yashwant Sinha told reporters that they have come here for talks and it happened in good atmosphere. “I only want to say that we had come for talks and the talks happened, the good talks”, he said.
Before meeting Geelani, Sinha said that they have not come as a delegation. “We are few people of goodwill who have come here on the basis of humanity. The aim is to share the pain and sufferings of the people. If we can do that, we will consider ourselves as fortunate”, he said.
In response to a question about timing of the visit, the former Finance Minister said: “That is an eternal question why did you not do it before. We are doing it at a time which is quite appropriate”, he said.
Asked if they had been invited by the separatists, Sinha said: “We do not have an invitation (from Geelani). We had requested (for a meeting) and we are going to see him.”
Speaking to reporters outside Mirwaiz residence, Wajahat Habibullah said that meeting happened in a very good atmosphere. “Very nice and friendly discussion. This is not track-2 diplomacy because we are not representing anybody. We are here on our own initiative. We are not representing anybody of any Government. We hope (impasse in Kashmir) breaks, we always hope. World lives on hope.
“The meeting occurred in a friendly atmosphere and very serious meeting occurred. The talks occurred on present situation and we had not come with an agenda. We came with sympathetic relation as Indians here because we saw there is pain in an Indian part”, said Habibullah.
After meeting the delegation, Mirwiaz told reporters that the delegation have come to meet them in personal capacity and do not represent any Government. “They told me that they have no mandate from any Government and have come here in their personal capacity and represent the civil society. Let’s assume it is Track-two or three, it is good. Then we have clearly presented the real picture and our stand before them,” he said.
“Sinha said even though he is a member of BJP, he has not been active recently and that he came here to understand the situation,” the Mirwaiz said. He said Sinha also accepted that the issue of Kashmir needs to be understood in its real perspective and addressed.
“I clearly told them that this is a political issue and till this political issue and dispute is addressed in its historical context, no peace and no incentives will work here,” the Hurriyat chairman said.
The moderate separatist leader said that he also told the delegation members that till Kashmir is accepted as a dispute and a process initiated between all the parties towards a final resolution, the uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir, in some shape, will continue and its impact will remain on the whole subcontinent. “He told me that the delegation was meeting him and he will put forth his stand before them. I told him that I will also place my viewpoint before them,” he said.
Late in the evening, Geelani, in a statement issued here, said that conversation with the delegation took place in a cordial atmosphere. “Geelani reminded them the historical perspective of the Kashmir issue, pending for its final resolution since 1947”, the statement said.
Commenting on the prevailing situation, Geelani told the delegation: “The onus of peace in the region particularly in Jammu and Kashmir lies with those holding power, military might and other resources.”
“All the people and leaders should be released and the cases against them should be withdrawn so that after consultation a common and collective point of view can be put forward”, the statement said.
The delegation also met Professor Bhat at his residence in Wazir Bagh. Prof Gani stressed for dialogue and resolution of Kashmir issue. The delegation later visited Shabir Ahmad Shah at Police Station Rajbagh where he is lodged for last few months.
The delegation is scheduled to meet Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and other trade bodies besides Civil Society groups.
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