No talks with separatists, says Shah

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 29

A day after the Central government told the Supreme Court that it will not hold talks with separatist leaders in the Kashmir valley, BJP president Amit Shah today directed party leaders to single out anti-India and separatist elements to bring normalcy back in the Valley. He made it clear to the party leaders that Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court was also the viewpoint of the BJP on Jammu and Kashmir.

By endorsing the Centre’s stand, the BJP president has given a clear message to its coalition partner — PDP — that his party was not going to climb down on its position of not engaging in talks with separatists or “pro-azadi” groups of Kashmir.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told Supreme Court on Friday, “We will talk to only those persons who are legally permitted to hold talks on behalf of people of Kashmir. The government is willing to talk to only recognised political parties in the state.”

Shah’s statement assumes importance as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on April 24 had strongly advocated engaging all “stakeholders,” including separatist groups, in the dialogue process to restore normalcy in Kashmir. Mehbooba had reiterated the demand while briefing the PDP’s political affairs committee (PAC) in Srinagar on Monday about her meeting with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

Shah, who reached Jammu this morning on a two-day visit to the state in connection with “Vistar Yatra” of BJP, told party leaders that the Centre and the BJP high command were concerned about the situation in Kashmir.

In a two-hour-long closed-door meeting of party ministers and MLAs, Shah made it clear there was no question of compromising on the core ideology of the party. “The nation, not the government, is priority of the BJP,” Shah reportedly told the party legislators, with a clear message that the party would not hesitate to make any sacrifice for the nation.

He directed all party ministers and MLAs not to confine themselves to their respective constituencies and communities but to visit the Valley and reach out to the people there.

“The BJP president made it clear that there was no question of talks with separatist or extremist groups of the Valley,” a BJP legislator told The Tribune on the condition of anonymity. He said Shah’s speech was clear that those fomenting trouble or demanding “azadi” would not be involved in any dialogue process.

Later, addressing a meeting of prominent citizens, Shah threw light on the history of the BJP and importance of J&K in the party’s ideology.