Several mainstream parties here on Saturday contested the Union government’s position projected before the Supreme Court (SC) on Kashmir situation and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi “to break his silence over the ongoing crisis.”.
NC working president Omar Abdullah accused the Centre of “misleading the SC by saying the situation was improving and under control”.
“Three youths lost lives and more than 400 left injured on Friday. If this is definition of a situation improving, God help the people of Kashmir,” said Mr. Abdullah.
Mr. Abdullah expressed disappointment over “lack of any political measures taken by the Centre after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the Valley”.
“To blame Pakistan for the unrest or to delude ourselves into thinking this is a law and order situation is criminal. There is an extreme sense of resentment and disenchantment among the youths of the Valley and that is the basis of this unrest,” said Mr. Abdullah.
He appealed to the government New Delhi “to engage with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir through a sustained, comprehensive dialogue to resolve the political issue is falling on deaf ears.”
The former Union Minister and Congress leader Saifuddin Soz asked the Centre “to initiate an unconditional dialogue with the separatist leadership.”
“It is in years that the Hurriyat has evolved, somewhat, into togetherness in its ranks and discernibly Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s word matters. This situation constitutes a rare opportunity to open a credible and unconditional dialogue with the Hurriyat,” said Mr. Soz.
Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CPI(M) MLA M. Y. Tarigami said, “All the democratic forces must raise their voices against the oppression. The Prime Minister continues to remain silent. It conveys what? ignorance or arrogance?”
