What Hurriyat is doing, can’t be called as Kashmiriyat: Rajnath Singh

Srinagar: Expressing his disappointment over Hurriyat leaders’ refusal to meet the all party delegation in Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said, “What they (Hurriyat leaders) are doing cannot be called as Kashmiriyat or Insaniyat.”

“Some member of the delegation went to meet Hurriyat leaders. The delegation members attempted to talk to them, but those people refused,” said Singh at a press conference.

An all party delegation, led by Rajnath Singh, had arrived in Kashmir, on Sunday last, in order to discuss the solution of the tension prevailing in the valley.

The delegation had met a cross section of people in the state but the detainred Hurriyat leaders refused to meet non-Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) members of the delegation who attempted to reach out to them.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, Sharad Yadav of JD(U) and Jay Prakash Narayan from RJD had gone to meet Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his residence, but the latter refused to open the doors for them.

What Rajnath Singh said:

• "A number of opposition leaders went to their homes, they were not even allowed entry, which goes against Kashmir’s hospitality not even a glass of water was given to them. The entire Parliament was there and they brought with them the mandate of the country. Hurriyat should have taken it far more seriously,” said Singh.
• Rajnath Singh stated, “everybody agrees to the fact that normalcy should be brought to Kashmir. I believe there has been some improvement in the condition of the Valley. There are no- second thoughts about the fact that Jammu and Kashmir has been an integral part of India and will always be.”
• “When I came here in July, people had complained about pellet guns. I had then ordered a committee to be formed in this regard. The committee came up with an alternative non-lethal weapon. I believe people won’t die because of it,” said Singh regarding problems due to pellet guns.
• Raising concerns over education disturbances in the valley, the UHM stated, “I was also told that students of Kashmir were unable to attend school or colleges due to the prevailing violence. I hereby give you the number of the concerned person who will be looking into this matter.”

Also Read: Violence not the solution to curb Kashmir unrest: Mufti

What other leaders of the delegation said:

• Expressing concerns about the behaviour of the Hurriyat leaders CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said “State and Central government have to take the political dialogue forward now.
• “Things were different last time, but this time separatists took a stand that they won’t talk,” said Union Minister RV Paswan
• The Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said that the doors for talks are open to all and there is no need to be disappointed over the fact that the Hurriyat leaders in Srinagar refused to meet members of the all-party delegation to discuss the ongoing unrest in Kashmir.
• “The Indian Government wants that all parties should come together and hold discussions but if Geelaniji feels that he should not talk he could do what he feels is suitable. He will clearly be pushed to the corner because all parties are going to unite on the Kashmir issue,” BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.

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“The delegation had met as many as 200 members in about 30 delegations from various sections of society, on their first day of visit on Sunday last, and listened to their point of view to reach at a common solution to the current scenario in Jammu and Kashmir,” a statement from the Home Ministry stated. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other members of the delegation met the mainstream sections in the state. As many as five members from the delegation had also went to meet the separatists but then latter refused to talk calling it as deceitful measure.