Panun Kashmir boycotts meeting with all-party delegation

However, concluding at the right note, before winding up the visit, the Home Minister also sent out a clear message to separatists, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India.

Calling the members of all-party delegation who went to meet Hurriyat leaders on Monday as “chai khor”, Raza said that they should not have broken away from the delegation and gone to meet the separatists. Whatever transpired there and on the basis of information given to us by members of the delegation, I can say that the response does not reflect Kashmiriyat.

The Left leader’s demands are in line with Kashmir analysts who have called for confidence-building measures to bridge the trust deficit. “When someone goes for talks and they reject it, it is not “jamhooriyat” (democracy) as well”, he said.

Separately, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi met Mirwaiz, the Valley’s chief cleric, and moderate Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah.

PAVA shells, a chilli-based ammunition, is less lethal and immobilises the target temporarily.

Officials in the MHA said that with the Hurriyat Conference leaders refusing to entertain the members from all party delegation visiting Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti may have considerably gained in establishing the futility of engaging the separatists to end ongoing violence in the Valley.

India has accused Pakistan of stoking unrest in Jammu & Kashmir. “Not only doors, even our ventilators are open for talks”, Singh said.

The Minister, who is leading an all-party delegation on a two-day visit to assuage the volatile situation in the Valley, said the entire country and Parliament are pained by the situation in Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already started a probe into the role of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son Nayeem Geelani in routing money from overseas in dubious ways.

While interacting with the delegation, Mehbooba said that Kashmir is a common issue of national interest and should not be viewed as a political issue. A nodal agency at Union home ministry has been set up to address the complaints and issues of the students studying outside J&K.

The home minister said the Center was providing all assistance to state government which is trying to improve the situation.

“The members requested the central and state government to take steps for a dialogue with all stake-holders, and to ensure that educational institutions, Government offices and Commercial establishments start functioning normally at the earliest”.