While stating that the Centre was open to dialogue with all shades of Kashmiri opinion, Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday maintained that violence in Jammu & Kashmir was limited to Srinagar and some other towns.
“The government is committed to holding quiet dialogue with all groups. I continue to meet different groups and political parties. There has been some interest in the process,'' he said while mentioning about the Prime Minister's statement in this regard. In addition, the Centre advised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also to meet all groups.
“We are always prepared to meet anyone who wants to talk to us. We are after all talking to our own people. There are no reservations at all in talking to our people.''
Setback to efforts
Mr. Chidambaram also spoke of his “quiet diplomacy'' and admitted it suffered a setback due to the violence in the Valley. “From day one I have favoured a quiet dialogue with all sections of opinion, all groups, all political parties….. I continue to meet leaders of different groups and political parties. There has been some interruption in the process...I do not deny that.”
On a day when two were killed in police firing in Sopore, Mr. Chidambaram said that but for a few towns, the situation was “by and large normal though not normal in the good sense. We have announced some measures. We hope some of them will help in normalising the situation.”
Asked whether political parties were involved in stoking violence, he said, “presumably.”
“I don't agree with you that the writ of the separatists is running. Yes, in Srinagar and some other towns, they are able to mobilise support, urge people to indulge in stone pelting and are able to call bandhs,'' he replied to a question whether the separatists had the run of the place.
Difficult situation
In his opening statement, the Minister said the situation was not “yet normal.” Repeated bandh calls have paralysed normal life in the Valley and the security forces continued to operate in a difficult situation exercising maximum restraint.
Funds for Repco Bank
Mr. Chidambaram said the government had released Rs.13.18 crore as the first instalment to shore up the operations of the Home Ministry-governed Repco Bank, headquartered in Chennai.
It was started in 1969 to rehabilitate refugees from Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Having outlived its utility, it turned into a normal bank sans the cheque facility. Its area of operation covers Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry.
