PM F0R DIALOGUE TO FIND A LASTING J&K SOLUTION
Shares ‘pain and concern’ with opposition
Aday after union finance minister Arun Jaitley spoke of a hard line against the protestors in Kashmir describing them as ‘aggressors not satyagrahis’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the need for a dialogue in the trouble torn Valley.
This change in posture of the Modi government came after the prime minister’s 75-minute long meeting with leaders of opposition parties in the state led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah. This political intervention came on the 45th day of unrest in the Valley since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 in which 60 people have died.
An official government release after the meeting said: “The Prime Minister expressed deep concern and pain at the prevailing situation in the State. He said that those who lost their lives during recent disturbances are part of us, our nation; whether the lives lost are of our youth, security personnel or police, it distresses us.”
The prime minister also appreciated the constructive suggestions made in the meeting and reiterated his Government's commitment to the welfare of citizens of the State. He emphasized that there has to be dialogue and we need to find a permanent and lasting solution to the problem within the framework of the Constitution. He also emphasized on the need for all political parties to work together to find a solution to the problems in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
There was an immediate reaction from Abdullah who tweeted:‘‘We welcome the statement of the Hon PM @narendramodi ji and look forward to working together to finding a lasting solution to the problems of J&K." Abdullah later told reporters that development or lack of it was not an issue in Kashmir as it is essentially a political issue requiring political redressal. Even J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was positive about the Opposition initiative. She said: "We live in a democratic set-up. If opposition leaders meet the Prime Minister or the President, if some solution can be found, it is a good thing. There is so much of bloodshed and loss of lives and property (in the Valley). If they (opposition parties) think they can find a solution by this, it is a good thing." The 20-member delegation led by Omar had seven of his National Conference MLAs, Congress legislators led by PCC Chief G A Mir and CPI-M MLA M Y Tarigami, among others. They had called on Prime Minister Modi and made an appeal for a political approach for resolving the crisis in the Valley and to ensure that the "mistakes" of the past are not repeated. The government had been resisting this approach so long, and even the suggestion that an all-party delegation should go to the troubled state and meet the stakeholders had been shelved. Meanwhile, union home minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the security situation in the state. He too stressed that peace and normalcy should be restored in Kashmir by holding talks with "our own people". The home minister had observed:"Some people in order to serve their selfish motives are forcing the innocent children and youths of Kashmir to pick up stones... Is this not playing with their future? I want to tell those having such nefarious intentions not to encourage the innocents to pick up stones. Which father will ask his children or youths to give up studies and pick up stones?"