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| Hyped meet fails to reach 'consensus', PM for peace, PDP for 'unconditional dialogue' | | Now All party delegation to 'offer' solutions on J&K crisis | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
New Delhi, Sept 15: In the backdrop of intensified violence that saw further fillip on Monday , much hyped All Party meeting of top political leaders at the Prime Minister's residence failed to reach a consensus on Kashmir . However, it decided to send an all-party delegation and meet people in the Valley.While Prime Minister Dr manmohan Singh gave fresh appeal for peace in Valley, major opposition party of J&K PDP called for 'unconditional dialogue' to resolve the Kashmir problem.
The crucial all party meet was convened by the Prime Minister to break the cycle of violence in Kashmir. An all party delegation headed by the Home Minister P Chidambaram will be sent to Srinagar
The only apparent step ahead of what prevailed until this meeting took place is that an all party delegation will now be sent to the state to figure out what is the best possible solution to diffuse the crisis that has been engulfing the valley in particular over the last month or so. The specific mandate before the all party delegation which will be led by P Chidambaram will be to try and break the ice.
The attempts will be to speak to all sections including the separatists such as the Hurriyat Conference, sources said.
The main reason why this meeting was called was to decide whether the situation on the ground which existed was warranting the lifting of Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA from certain areas of the State.
However, the meeting could not reach unanimity on withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The BJP and Shiv Sena were against withdrawing the law and the Congress and the Left parties supported its partial withdrawal.
The decision was vehemently opposed by the political opponents of the Congress party by BJP and some regional outfits. And therefore that decision has not been taken.
What the Prime Minister is very keen on is to build some kind of political consensus on the ground. That is why this all party delegation which will be sent to the valley becomes very crucial, sources added.
In the meeting, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to announce an "unconditional dialogue" in Kashmir to resolve the situation in the disturbed state.
"We appeal to the Prime Minister to go for unconditional dialogue," Mufti told reporters at the end of an all-party meeting. She said the Prime Minister and the separatists should not put conditions before starting a dialogue."But the government should release the youth arrested under the Public Safety Act... The curfew, which Kashmiris have been suffering under, should also be lifted," said Mufti.
National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said political leaders were "satisfied" with the meeting and the Union Home Ministry would lead an all-party delegation to Kashmir. Sources however said that Dr Farooq in a fiery mood lashed out at PDP, indicating it was primarily responsible for fomenting trouble in Valley. " They created a sharp divide in the state in the year 2008 bloodshed and now again they are doing politics over the dead bodies…….", an angry Farooq Abdullah said without naming PDP, sources said. Dr Abdullah in his speech clearly indicated he was not there in the meeting to defend his son Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister, instead to present the view point of his party about the situation. " I am representing NC, not Omar in the meeting……this should be understood clearly that Omar got mandate of the people in 2008 following which he was made the Chief Minister………..but certain parties are not able to digest this reality", Farooq is reported to have observed in his speech, also alleging that PDP is making political 'maneuverings' with New Delhi in a hush hush manner . " I can fight my opponents politically but I cannot resort to this tactics…….", he said.
Earlier, setting the tone, Singh said the government was willing to talk to anybody or any group which adopts peaceful means but asserted that it could not happen till the end of violence, some of which is "orchestrated by certain groups at the meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "The only path of peace in Jammu and Kashmir is through dialogue. I am distressed to see young men protesting on streets in Kashmir. We are ready for dialogue with anybody or any group that does not espouse or practice violence."
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi told the meeting the "legitimate aspirations" must be respected.
She pressed for a spirit of accommodation and reconciliation and said the "ideological and political differences" should be put aside as "we are facing far too serious a challenge to allow those differences to stand in the way of resolute, sensitive and appropriate actions".
"Leaders of various political parties who attended today's meeting made valuable suggestions on ways and means to resolve the vexed issues that face us in Jammu and Kashmir. They agreed that the Constitution of India provides ample scope to accommodate any legitimate political demand through dialogue, civil discourse and peaceful negotiations," said a statement issued at the end of the meeting.
"The meeting resolved to send an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir. The leaders agreed that the delegation should meet all sections of the people and gather all shades of opinion. The visit of the all-party delegation would be facilitated by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The Government will take into account the deliberations at today's meeting while considering measures and initiatives to reach out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The feedback received from the all-party delegation would form an important input into the Government's evolving response on various issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir."
BJP agrees to be part of visiting delegation
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be part of the all-party delegation that will visit Kashmir and will support talks within the ambit of the constitution, party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said after the meet on the crisis in the state.
'If an all-party delegation goes to Kashmir, BJP will be represented in that delegation,' Prasad told reporters here after the all-party meet on Kashmir chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
'If any dialogue takes place within the framework of the Indian constitution after abjuring violence, BJP will give a constructive contribution,' he said.
Prasad said that BJP reiterated its stand that there could not be any dilution of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
'We cannot ignore the fact that in the present situation of J&K, cross-border terrorism is abetted by elements of Pakistan,' he said, adding: 'We are very clear and categorical that our stand is in the national interest.'
The BJP spokesperson added that his party was opposed 'to any demands of autonomy ". |
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