As the unrest in Kashmir Valley entered the 50th day, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and suggested a “three-pronged action plan” involving appointment of interlocutors to talk to all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat if it wished to, besides dialogue with Pakistan; changing the Governor; and scheduling an all-party delegation’s visit to the Valley next week. This was her first meeting with the PM after violence rocked the Valley on July 8.
Meanwhile, a policeman was shot dead by suspected militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and the body of a man was recovered from the Jhelum River. locals alleged that the man drowned after jumping into the Jhelum to escape security forces who chased a group of stone pelters in Anantnag.
Though the curfew has been lifted from Anantnag, it is in force in other parts, including Srinagar.
After an hour-long meeting with Modi, Mehbooba told reporters that the Prime Minister was “very concerned” about the situation and has asked for steps to end this “bloodshed” so that peace can return to the Valley. Appealing to the protesters to help her resolve the crisis, she said, “Please give me one chance to address your concerns and aspirations.” She also appealed to the separatist leaders to come and help her Government in breaking “this cycle of violence” in the State.
Mehbooba slammed Pakistan for fomenting trouble in the Valley and recalled the words of her late father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who had said that if the Kashmir’s problem can be resolved, it can only be done by Prime Minister Modi who enjoys two-thirds majority.
Targeting Pakistan, she said it should stop supporting the people who are instigating the youth in the Valley to carry out attacks on police stations or Army camps. Islamabad unfortunately lost out on a “golden opportunity for reconciliation when PM Modi landed in lahore in December last and again when Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Islamabad recently for the SAARC Ministerial meeting,” she added.
According to a State Government release, Mehbooba outlined a “three-pronged action plan” before the Prime Minister for the resolution of the Kashmir problem, which includes involvement of separatists and Pakistan in a substantive dialogue to work out a solution to the problem in light of the contemporary geo-political realities.
The release did not elaborate on the plan, but sources said it included facilitating the visit of an all-party delegation to the Valley later next week, removing Governor NN Vohra and appointing an interlocutor to hold talks with all the stakeholders in the State.
Sources said that Mehbooba and Vohra are not getting along well and the Central Government has begun searching for the replacement of the latter who is completing his second term in June 2018.
Sources said Vohra is upset with Mehbooba’s mishandling of the situation in Kashmir, her emotive behaviour and disconnect with people and bureaucracy.
On the other hand, Mehbooba is privately blaming the Governor for the current unrest because during the Governor’s Rule necessitated by the demise of the Mufti, some controversial initiatives were taken, which paved the way for the current unrest.
Sources said that former lieutenant-Governor of Delhi Vijai Kapoor is tipped to be Vohra’s replacement.
“Please appoint a group of individuals on whom the people of Kashmir have trust so that whatever they are saying will reach people at the helm of affairs in Delhi,” she said.
Mehbooba called for reviving the reconciliation and resolution process which was initiated by the then NDA Government, headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002, even as she also credited the UPA saying, “I am sure that the Prime Minister will not forget to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue like the UPA did.”
“Every political party wants the bloodshed in Kashmir to end and a political process to begin, sooner the better,” she said adding all the parties, cutting across the divide, including the Hurriyat leaders will have to come forward and help in saving innocent lives besides engage in a meaningful dialogue process for the peaceful resolution of problems.