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Leaders for sorting out Amarnath land issue

Shujaat Bukhari

Crisis is creation of the government: Jaitley

Farooq says it should be resolved through talks
We need to have an approach of reconciliation: Raja

SRINAGAR: Leaders of the all-party delegation that met here on Sunday on the Amarnath land issue sought an end to the controversy.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley said that the crisis was the creation of the government and it should resolve the row. “There is a simple way out,” he said, but refused to elaborate and said the BJP would send that in writing to the government.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury, who was part of the delegation, said there was an urgent need to find a solution. “It is an issue which needs to be sorted out. We are going back to submit a report to the government for resolving the issue. We believe there is a solution,” he said.

“We are aware that certain parties want to communalise the situation but our effort is to counter them,” he said. The integrity and the unity of nation was of prime importance and that was not negotiable.

He expressed displeasure over the objections raised by the Sangarsh Samiti to the participation of Kashmiri leaders and said it was not a correct approach. “Muslims of Kashmir were an integral part of the Amarnath Yatra as it was Muslims, who discovered the holy cave. It was Muslims who maintained the holy cave and made arrangements for the pilgrimage,” he said.

The former Chief Minister and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah said the issue should be resolved through talks. Asked what the solution was, he said: “they [the government] have it.” Dr. Abdullah said the economic blockade should be put to an end immediately.

“We can’t escape”

CPI national secretary D. Raja told The Hindu that many issues were raised in the Jammu and Srinagar meetings and “we need to have an approach of reconciliation.” “We should discuss all the demands and address the concerns of the people,” he said, adding “we cannot escape.” Mr. Raja said the communal forces should not be allowed to call the shots and “there is need to counter that.”

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh said “some people are using the situation for petty interests to get a few seats.”

PDP’s plea

People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said the issue had to be resolved keeping in view the sentiments of the people. The economic blockade could take a dangerous turn and the government should make efforts to end it.

Union Minister Saifuddin Soz said the national highway should not be made hostage to a group of people.

Governor N.N. Vohra, the former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh were also present.

Gargi Parsai reports from New Delhi:

The situation in Jammu is improving, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said on his return to New Delhi after a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir with the all-party delegation.

Mr. Patil told journalists that blockades had been removed and the road from the Valley to Jammu and to Punjab had been cleared.

He would apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the situation in the State and on the outcome of the talks with the agitators.

Most of the leaders in the delegation expressed the confidence that the situation could be resolved through dialogue.

However, Mr. Farooq Abdullah, who had to stay away from talks with the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti in Jammu, criticised the economic blockade.

Mr. Jaitley felt the dialogue process should have begun earlier.

Mr. Amar Singh and Mr. Azad cautioned against attempts to misuse the situation. Mr. Azad appealed to the Samiti to give up the agitation and help the government in restoring peace.

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