Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday appealed separatists to take up New Delhi’s offer of talks to save the state from further bloodshed, saying it was a rare opportunity.
“You (separatists) have been shown respect by the country and the home minister (Rajnath Singh) when he said the government is ready for talks,” Mufti said addressing a convention of her Peoples Democratic Party workers.
“Come forward and talk. If we don’t seize this opportunity today, then nobody will plead our case tomorrow.”
In her 14-minute speech the CM said mainstream parties like her own PDP and National Conference had clear agenda of dialogue with Pakistan and within for resolution of Kashmir dispute.
“(But) there are other parties which are not in the mainstream. If they have any agenda they have an opportunity now if they want to stop bloodshed,” Mufti said.
CANNOT FORCE SEPARATISTS
“We can’t force you (separatists) or dictate you but we request you to join talks. They (government of India) have agreed for talks. We have to benefit from this (offer). I appeal all parties that in order to save J&K, to join talks,” Mehbooba said.
On May 26 Rajnath Singh said New Delhi was ready for talks with Hurriyat, days after he announced unilateral ceasefire in J&K for the holy month of Ramdhan. The ceasefire was announced following a request by the CM and all mainstream parties to government of India.
Three days later, responding to the talks offer the top three resistance leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said statements by different ministers and authorities in the union government following Singh’s offer were “ambiguous and lacking clarity”, and “leaving little” room to consider the offer for talks.
However, marking a departure from the past, the trio did not reject the offer but asked New Delhi to come clear on it.
But before the separatists’ call for clarity was responded to the CM sounded caution.
“God forbid if there are excesses (committed) against us then they (New Delhi) will say they had offered dialogue but you rejected.”
COME UP WITH AN AGENDA
Mehbooba credited all mainstream parties in J&K for creating a situation that has led to unilateral ceasefire and the offer of talks.
“Now it is up to separatists (to respond to the offer). I request you that this is an opportunity. Today there is offer for dialogue for you and today they are asking you to come and have talks with us,” Mufti said, referring to the trio.
“Today entire country is watching us to see what decision we will take to save lives.”
She said such initiatives from the union government don’t happen often, recalling that it was during former Prime Minister AtalBiharai Vajpayee’s time when the center held talks with separatists after announcing ceasefire.
“Now the time has come again. Such opportunity won’t come time and again. If we have to take J&K out of suffering all mainstream parties and separatists should come together,” she said, adding since the ceasefire announcement “bloodshed has stopped”.
“The use of force can’t solve Kashmir,” she said.
Mufti also called out for the youth to make choices that can help end uncertainty in the state.
“Every time our children pick up stones or guns they get killed,” she said.
The CM said the trend of youth joining militancy would not achieve anything except increase the footprint of security forces in the state.
“More the situation improves, the more we can ask the army, the CRPF and the police to reduce their footprint in Kashmir,” she said.
YOUTH NEED RESPECTABLE EXIT
Referring to the death of QaiserBhat who was run over by a CRPF vehicle outside Jamia mosque on Friday, Mufti said availing the talks offer would save Kashmiri youth.
“…the youth were protesting and pelting stones. One person came under vehicle. He was an orphan. But why should youth throw stones. Why don’t we offer them respectable way to come out of this cycle of stone throwing and gun? The CM asked.
Mufti condemned the recent grenade attacks by suspected militants across Kashmir amid a unilateral ceasefire by the government.
“They don’t think about safety of civilian or those poor people from outside states who have joined CRPF or Army to support their families,” Mufti said.
“There have been thousands of grenade attacks till now, thousands have picked up guns and become militants, but what has been achieved?”
The CM also referred to the recent killings of youth in Bandipora.
“Shall we continue seeing our youth being killed in the name of being mukhbir (informers). Shall we continue seeing their throat being slit?” she asked.
The PDP convention was also attended by the party vice president SartajMadni, senior ministers AltafBukhari, Naeem Akhter, GhulamNabi Lone and other ministers and MLAs besides party leaders from central Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion PDP vice-president SartajMadni said the main aim behind creation of the party was to help people of J&K come out of suffering by acting as a bridge between India and Pakistan.
“We have always advocated talks and peaceful means of resolving Kashmir problem. This is the right time that all people should come together for peaceful resolution of Kashmir,” Madni said.
He asked separatists to come forwards for talks with the union government. “This is an opportunity that we should not let go,” Madni said.