Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 26: As Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation prevailing in Kashmir during past 49-day long unrest after returning to the Union capital following two-day visit to the Valley, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti left Srinagar for New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister tomorrow morning even as the Union Home Ministry has set the process into motion for sending an All Party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir next week.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Rajnath gave detailed briefing to the Prime Minister on prevailing situation in the Kashmir valley, where he visited for two-day, met series of delegations from political parties, Civil Society, other organizations, apart from Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and held high level review of security scenario.
He was reported to have briefed the Prime Minister about “all aspects of situation” prevailing in the Valley and steps being taken by the Home Ministry and the State Government to control unrest, which today entered into 49th day and have already taken 69 lives besides leaving about 8000 injured, nearly half of them para-military and police personnel.
In the meantime, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who had yesterday detailed hour long meeting with Rajnath Singh in Srinagar, today left for New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow morning.
She was likely to share her views on the prevailing situation in Kashmir as all Opposition parties of Jammu and Kashmir led by NC working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had called on the Prime Minister on August 22 and gave their view point on the situation. NC, Congress, CPM and other smaller parties and individuals were part of the delegation, which had met the Prime Minister apart from President Pranab Mukherjee and AICC (I) vice president Rahul Gandhi.
In addition to the meeting with Opposition parties, Modi had also chaired All Party Meeting in New Delhi on Kashmir situation on August 12 in which representatives of all national parties and two Members of Parliament (MPs) from PDP-Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Mir Mohammad Fayaz were present.
Sources said the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister could share broader points that had emerged in the All Party Meeting, chaired by Modi, followed by his meeting with Opposition leaders of Jammu and Kashmir.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval could meet the Prime Minister during or after his meeting with Mehbooba Mufti.
Meanwhile, according to sources, the Union Home Ministry today set into motion the process to send an All Party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir comprising representatives of all political parties.
The process was initiated a day after Rajnath Singh announced that an All Party delegation will be sent to Jammu and Kashmir soon. The announcement was made by him shortly before returning to New Delhi after conclusion of his 2-day visit to Kashmir valley yesterday afternoon.
Pointing out that composition of the delegation was likely to be formalized by Monday or Tuesday, sources said the delegation could visit Jammu and Kashmir by the end of next week.
“The Home Ministry has started the process of writing to all political parties to name their representatives for inclusion in the All Party delegation, which was likely to be led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh,” sources said, adding the delegation would have representation from all political parties.
The Home Ministry officials, according to sources, today spoke to some stakeholders on Jammu and Kashmir regarding composition of the delegations, number of the members it would have, the places it could visit and the persons it would meet.
However, sources said, there was no change in the approach of the Centre Government in dealing with Kashmir unrest.
“It would continue to strengthen presence of para-military forces including BSF and CRPF in trouble prone areas to deal with protesters while exercising restraint and hold talks with all stakeholders under Atal Behari Vajpayee’s formula of `Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat,” sources said.
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