Srinagar/Jammu, Sept 26: The eight point formula announced by the government of India has evoked mixed response from the mainstream political parties with some welcoming it while the others describing it as ‘bowing before separatists.’

JKNPP
 Launching a scathing attack on Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, National Panthers Party chairman, Prof Bhim Singh on Sunday described the Kashmir package “as a token of solace to help the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who has lost the right to head the government.”
 He said neither Chidambaram nor the Central Council of Minister could save Omar “with hundreds of youth fighting to see his ouster. Chidambaram is acting as the de facto CM.”
 “Paying Rs 5 lakh to the family of those killed amounts to mockery of human dignity. How many politicians are prepared to accept Rs 20 lakh in exchange of their child? Interlocutors for what; what are the issues?”

ANC
 Awami National Conference president, Begum Khalida Shah has welcomed the setting up of Committee of interlocutors to commence dialogue with all the stake holders in Kashmir.
 She said Kashmir issue could not be brushed under the carpet and measures should be taken to resolve it adding the dialogues should be purposeful.
 Khalida said the party had begun preparations to hold 5-regions intra-Kashmir summit adding it had become imperative in the present scenario to find a way forward to resolve the Kashmir issue.
 She said the CCS had been silent about the killers of 108 civilians and demanded that the perpetrators be tried for murder charges.

CPI (M)
 Welcoming the proposals, CPI (M) State Secretary, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami urged upon the GoI that in order to create an environment of peace and confidence more initiatives need to be undertaken.
 “We suggest a panel of senior parliamentarians to be constituted for a sustained dialogue with all shades of opinion in J&K primarily with those holding voice of dissent,” he said.
 He said steps should be taken for implementation of the fresh measures in letter and spirit.

BJP
 Denouncing the package, the state BJP accused the UPA government of bowing before separatists and charged that the initiatives had nothing for Jammu and Ladakh.
 “The Centre has again bowed before separatists and continued its appeasing policy towards Kashmir while ignoring Jammu and Ladakh,” BJP State President Shamsher Singh Manhas told reporters here.
 Condemning the decision to release stone-pelters and withdrawal of cases against them, he said “What message does the Centre and State want to give to the nation by according leniency to those who break the law?”

Congress
 Welcoming the 8-point formula, former Minister and Congress MLC, Abdul Gani Vakil urged the separatists and other political groups to respond positively.
 “This is a historic opportunity for bringing an end to the violence and bloodshed which has left hundreds, mostly families of youngsters wailing and weeping. We appeal the people to ensure return of peace to every corner of the state,” Vakil said while addressing a gathering of Congress Seva Dal workers at Dak Bungalow in Samba.  

Civil Society
 Welcoming Centre’s advice to J&K government to release all students detained for stone pelting, members of the civil society in J&K has hoped that it would be implemented by the state government.
 “It is a good announcement, but whether it turns into a reality or not is yet to be seen,” Nighat Shafi Pandit, who runs an NGO Help Foundation, told PTI.
 She said Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram’s advice needs to be followed and all the students arrested over the past few months should be released within the next 48 hours.
 Zahoor Ahmad Tak, who runs JK Yateem Trust, echoed the views of Pandit saying, “it is an administrative matter and is definitely going to be a relief for the students who should be released immediately.”

APSCC
 All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee has expressed satisfaction over the announcements made by Union Home Minister.
 In a statement, APSCC Chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina said the announcement should be implemented on ground within stipulated time. He expressed shock saying that even though after meeting with the people of minority community (Sikhs), the (GoI) has again betrayed them. “The state and Centre has been doing the same with the community since last 60 years.”
 “Now minority community will once again review the present situation prevailing in the valley and will not allow the state and central Govt to use Minority Community (Sikhs) be used as scapegoat,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST