Congress, CPI-M want talks on Kashmir with all stakeholders

New Delhi, Sept 7: The opposition Congress and CPI-M on Wednesday maintained that any talk on the Kashmir issue should include all concerned, including separatists. Interacting with media after an all-party meeting here, Congress senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Our stand is that all stakeholders should be included in any discussion on Kashmir.”

Similar view was expressed by Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, who said that he along with other MPs had gone to meet five separatists leaders, and four separatists met them whereas one did not. “I don’t take it as an insult,” he told media after the all-party meet. He said that government has accepted all the suggestions made by different political parties during the meeting, which was headed by Home Minister Rajth Singh.

Yechury said Pakistan should also be included in the talks. “You should also start dialogue with Pakistan,” he added. “You have to give some assurance on (use of) pellet guns. Families of the injured and dead people should be compensated,” he said, adding that there has to be a rehabilitation package also for all the violence-affected people.

“AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) should be withdrawn from civilian areas and youth should be given jobs,” the Left leader demanded. Asked about the demands of other parties, he said the government was considering them.

He urged for “unconditiol dialogue” with all stake holders for permanent solution of the Kashmir problem. Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh, who also was a part of the delegation that went to Kashmir last week, told media that the state government should take steps to re-open schools, educatiol institutions, business establishments and government offices.

“Members (of the All-party meeting) appealed to all concerned that no civil society has any place for violence. They were also of view that there would no compromise with unity and integrity of the country,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Fince Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan and Sitaram Yechury among others. (IANS)