Rajnath: Ready for talks with right-minded people

Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, on Thursday reiterated the government's resolve to find an amicable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio through talks with all stakeholders and said that a dialogue needed "rightminded people" and not necessarily "like-minded people" to go well.

He said that the Centre appointed a former IPS officer Dineshwar Sharma as a special representative last year for this purpose only.

"As far holding of talks is concerned, we appointed a special representative for this purpose only. He has been meeting people and is willing to meet all stakeholders. He has visited the State as many as eleven times. He doesn't come here for sightseeing," he said.

The Home Minister said that he wanted to make an appeal to everyone in Jammu and Kashmir to come forward and supplement the effort aimed at restoring peace in the State. "Talks can be held with everybody. But talks should be for peace. For talks, you need not to speak to like-minded people but it is important to talk to right-minded people," Mr. Singh who is on a two-day visit of the restive State told reporters here.

He referred to then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's doctrine of 'Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat aur Kashmiriyat (humanity, democracy and Kashmiriyat- the ethnonational and social consciousness and cultural values of the Kashmiri people)' and said that the present incumbent Narendra Modi had also in his last Independence Day speech at Red Fort, Delhi said "Na goli se, na gaali se, Kashmir ki samasya suljhe gi gale lagaane se (Kashmir problem will not be solved by bullets or abuses but only with embracing the people)". Mr. Singh said, "When we talk about Kashmiriyat it has (the Muslim shrine of) Hazratbal as well as (Hindu cave-shrine of )Amarnath".

"People must come forward and help towards restoring peace. Or yet another generation of the State will disappear in darkness," he said and reiterated the government wants to change the face and destiny of J&K.