Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 29: The all-party delegation scheduled to visit the valley on September 4 is unlikely to hold talks with separatists as, according to the programme, no meeting has been fixed with them.
"The all-party delegation will not hold talks with separatists. We will not go knocking on their doors. If they are interested, they can communicate to us, but till now there has not been any communication from their side. So, the talks are not on cards,"said a senior official in the Home Ministry.
Sources said they 'don't want the repeat of 2010 delegations when MPs had gone to the residence of separatist Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, who had then cleared his position before the Parliamentarians in front of media, causing them embarrassment.
"We will not allow it to happen this time. The MPs represent the country and we can't allow our country to be belittled by someone who has ideology which questions the soverignity of the nation," said the sources.
According to sources, the separatists have also till now not shown any interest in holding talks with them and they are also under pressure whether to go ahead with the talks in the backdrop of the violent situation there or not.
"Separatists too are scared of holding talks with the visiting delegation which suggests that they are not only under pressure from their own people, especially the protestors, but also from their handlers in Pakistan. If they don't come out, the blame will lie on them, not us,"said the official.
The Modi government has started reaching out to more young people and they are also being roped in to hold parleys. |
