Centre should look beyond its electoral dividends to solve JK

The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not want the death of Indian soldiers, Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said today, as he asked the BJP-led Central government to stop the "dance of death" by looking beyond the electoral dividends for itself across the country.

"Much blood of innocent Kashmiris has flown down the Jhelum and people of Kashmir do not want the death of Indian soldiers. They want the 'death dance' to stop.

"It is up to the BJP government in New Delhi to do so, if it looks beyond the rich electoral dividends for itself across India," he said while addressing a Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid here.

It was the first Friday sermon delivered by the Hurriyat leader in seven weeks as he was placed under house arrest several times over the past two months.

Mirwaiz said for the bloodshed to end and peace to prevail in the valley, the Centre should initiate simultaneous dialogue processes with people of Kashmir and Pakistan.

He added that keeping the separatist leadership in jails or under house detention for months or for years had proved futile in containing the problem, as it was a "pan-Kashmir people's political struggle and not confined to any particular section."

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)