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| Talks hit logjam, Samiti asserts | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Aug 9
• PM’s 18 member delegation fails to break ice
• SAYSS stays firm at land, recall of Governor
• Both sides agreed to keep engaged in dialogue
• Shut down, agitation, protests to continue
Much on the expected lines, the ostentatious delegations of top political leaders of the country constituted by the Prime Minister of India, failed to break ice on the Shri Amarnath Shrine land issue, as Jammu vehemently asserted its position and refused to make any compromise.
The historic delegation reflecting composite political culture of the country and led by Home Minister Shivraj Patil had come to Jammu to talk to the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti for seeking an amicable resolution of the ongoing agitation. Leaders of all major political parties drawn from ruling and opposition groups were part of delegation.
At the end of the day long deliberations, it clearly came out that the talks have failed even as both parties –the delegation and the Samiti –vowed to carry forward the dialogue. However, the agitation will continue till a final resolution, declared the Samiti.
"The team did not come up with a concrete proposal. They kept repeating what happened in the meeting in New Delhi. We reiterated our demands. The meeting was inconclusive," Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma said. He said the agitation would continue.
The Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who briefed the press at the end of day’s proceedings, said that the Center will soon find a solution acceptable to the people of both regions. He asserted that the Government of India is committed to the state of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had said that best possible facilities will be created for the pilgrims.
The 18-member all party team headed by the Home Minister Shivraj Patil arrived here early in the morning in a special aircraft. Immediately after their arrival the delegation members drove to the State Guest House at Canal Road. After a brief while they reached the Hari Niwas Palace Hotel, where a review meeting was held with top officers of the administration to obtain an idea of the prevailing situation.
By around 11:30, the delegation members began with their meetings with delegations of various political parties operating in Jammu. It was more of a appraisal meeting where the visiting leaders putforth their views and the delegation members gathered the ideas.
In the middle of all these activities, the delegation came to known the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) is reluctant to get engaged in the dialogue with delegation if Dr Farooq Abdullah, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and Mehbooba Mufti were a part of it. This sent the official machinery in a tizzy. Finally, Abdullah, Soz and Mufti were eased out of the delegation facilitating way for participation of Samiti members.
By around 4:30, a 24-member delegation of SAYSS led by its convener Leela Karan Sharma reached the venue. The Samiti entered into a two-hour long discussion with the delegation after which its convener Leela Karan Sharma briefed the media about what transpired inside.
Leela Kara Sharma made it amply clear that they had put two demands before the delegation which included restoration of land to the Shrine Board and recall of the Governor NN Vohra. He said that the delegation did not have any powers or authority to take a prompt decision on both these points and therefore the talks could not make any headway. He, however, asserted that the both sides were in full agreement on carrying forward the course of dialogue. Leela Karan also said that the agitation and shut down will continue till the solution was arrived at.
The members of the team were Arun Jaitley (BJP), Amar Singh (SP), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), D Raja (CPI), Mohsina Kidwai (Congress), Farooq Abdullah (NC), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), K C Tyagi (JD-U), Naresh Gujral (SAD), Akhthar Hassan (BSP) and R C Paswan (LJP), Saifuddin Soz (Congress), Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), A Raja (DMK), Prithviraj Chavan and Sriprakash Jaiswal (both Congress).
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) Bhim Singh, who has been hospitalised after a fast-unto-death protest, told PTI over phone that the party will not meet the delegation as it was not invited for the all-party meeting presided over by the Prime Minister on August 6.
Singh asked the Prime Minister and state Governor N N Vohra to amend the Shri Amarnath Board Act (2002) by making it mandatory for all board members to be permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir. |
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