Mehbooba invites separatists for talks with all party team

SRINAGAR: The shadow of boycott looms over today's visit of an all-party delegation to Kashmir despite Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday pitching for dialogue with the Hurriyat and prodding the separatists to meet the team. The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister wrote to the separatist leaders, saying the country's political leadership had reached out to the people of Kashmir and "it is for us to collectively lend it credence and credibility". Mehbooba, who for the first time during the prevailing unrest visited the family of a youth killed in firing by security forces in Kulgam, called for engaging "all sections of society in a credible and meaningful political process for resolution of the issue".

"The country's political leadership must, without any further delay, reach out and engage all sections of the society, including the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, in a productive dialogue process to resolve the issue and make peace a reality in Jammu and Kashmir," she said at Kulgam. She claimed this was the first time the Kashmir issue had been discussed at so many forums and judicious views had been put forward "by all shades of political opinion" in Parliament and at all-party meetings. "The need of the hour is to build on this larger political consensus within the country and initiate tangible measures to address the issue," she said. Mehbooba reached out to Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and other separatists and asked them to engage with the team. Mirwaiz and Malik, who are spearheading the unrest, are under detention. "All of us are deeply concerned, albeit in our own way, about the existing situation in the Valley.... I have no doubt that all of us have the best interests of the people of J&K in mind," she said in her letter to them. However, Geelani said the people should boycott the delegation as it "has neither any mandate nor intention" to resolve the Kashmir issue. Kashmir Inc, which comprises key trade, commerce, tourism and other associations, said it would boycott the delegation in view of the prevailing ground situation. Mohammed Yaseen Khan, the president of the Kashmir Economic Alliance, said a meeting with the team would provide India a global photo-op that would "rub salt on the injury" of Kashmiris. An official here said: "A formal meeting between the delegation and separatist leaders is unlikely. But efforts are on to facilitate an informal meeting of some members of the delegation with them. Left prod The Left and other rival parties on Saturday pressed the government to invite the Hurriyat for talks with the all-party team but home minister Rajnath Singh was non-committal. Rajnath, who is scheduled to lead the delegation, chaired a preparatory meeting on Saturday with the representatives. At the meeting, CPM's Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D. Raja stressed the importance of holding talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. They were backed by representatives of the JD(U), RJD, DMK and other parties, the Left leaders claimed. "We asked the government that, like others, the Hurriyat leaders should also be invited for talks with the delegation. The home minister did not say yes or no. He remained non-committal," Yechury told reporters. He said the Centre should not discriminate but reach out to everybody. The Left parties also held a consultation with a group of eminent persons. The consensus was talking to all stake-holders, including separatists, and continued engagement with Pakistan were essential. Yechury said a final solution was impossible without involving Pakistan. "A blow hot and blow cold approach will not do. Sometimes the government shows its 56-inch chest and sometimes goes out to say 'happy birthday'. The government has to engage with Pakistan."