#Day58: Mehbooba, Her Cabinet Meet APD

Kashmir News Service

SRINAGAR

The all party delegation led by home minister Rajnath Singh arrived Srinagar Sunday for a two-day visit to the state.

“We intend to talk to individuals and groups who want peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley,” Singh said before the departure of delegation comprising 30 members from 20 parties.

The delegation is camping at highly guarded SK International Convention Complex (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar. Reports said all the ministers of the state cabinet accompanying Chief Minister were with the delegation. Immediately after reaching SKICC the delegation interacted with Mehbooba led state cabinet on the ongoing unrest in Kashmir valley. The delegations of BJP and Congress have already reached SKICC for interaction with the delegation on the current unrest in Kashmir.

While the Congress led delegation headed by JKPCC President Gh Ahmad Mir, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh is heading the BJP delegation.

Cutting across party lines, leaders said that they were hopeful of finding a solution for restoration of peace in the Valley where violent clashes have claimed 71 lives since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on 8 July.

Senior Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the delegation was ready to hear “everyone”. The visit “will be beneficial for Kashmir and for the country,” he said, adding everyone wants peace in the state.

Azad said it will be an opportunity for the parties and Kashmiri people to interact. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, another member of the team, said the all-party delegation should have gone two months ago “but let’s hope that even now, we can make a difference”.

LJP chief and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that the MPs are going with an open mind and want to interact with anyone who wants to talk within the framework of the Indian Constitution. “We are ready to talk,” he said.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said all parties were cooperating with the government and their sole aim was restoration of normalcy in the state. “”We will try our best to bring back normalcy. We are cooperating with the government. It is the responsibility of the government to deal with the situation very intelligently. “All parties are cooperating for that. So we hope that it will be resolved,” he said.