Senior PDP leader Bukhari fires another salvo, asks why PM Modi was shying away from taking forward Vajpayee legacy
The ruling partners in Jammu and Kashmir, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are at daggers drawn after the Union government made its stand clear and reiterated that there will not be any talks with separatists or those raising slogans of "accession or Azadi".
Hours after BJP's interlocutor Ram Madhav met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday, senior PDP leader and Education Minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari fired another salvo wondering why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shying away from taking forward the legacy of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"Kashmir is essentially a political problem that needs a political solution through dialogue and discussions. It can't have an economic solution. I wonder why our Prime Minister, with a historic public mandate, is shying away from his responsibility by not carrying forward the legacy of Vajpayee who said 'sky is the limit' on the issue of Kashmir," Bukhari said.
Bukhari said dialogue cannot have a rider or any pre-conditions in a democratic set-up and dissent is the essence of democracy. "Exclusion of the voices of dissent is against the spirit of a democratic polity. A lack of inclusive dialogue can only add to frustration and over time, generate rejection and more rebellion," Bukhari cautioned.
Urging PM Modi to initiate an unconditional dialogue with all stakeholders for a lasting solution, Bukhari said what separates democracy from other political philosophies is the principle and practice of solving differences through inclusive and meaningful dialogue.
Bukhari reminded the BJP that PDP forged an alliance with them just to resume the halfway-left reconciliatory process and initiate talks aimed at resolving the decades' old political uncertainty.
"PDP believes that inclusive dialogue is the only way out. Unfortunately instead of taking such an initiative, we have been made to believe that the Centre has a lackadaisical policy with regard to Kashmir. This perception needs to be changed on the ground," he remarked.
BJP was quick to hit back saying they are not averse to talks with "own people" and not with those people who abet violence and take dictations from Pakistan.
"Why did not separatists talk to the parliamentary delegation which visited Kashmir during the unrest last year? In fact they slammed their doors on them. Kashmiris are our own people and we are not averse to talking to them but not with those who abet violence and take dictations from across the border," said Sheikh Khalid Jehangir, BJP spokesman for Kashmir.
The Centre on Friday had informed the Supreme Court that a dialogue to restore normalcy was possible only with the legally recognised stakeholders or political parties.
BJP HITS BACK
- BJP was quick to hit back saying they are not averse to talks but not with those who abet violence and take dictations from Pakistan.
- “Why did not separatists talk to the parliamentary panel which visited Kashmir,” asked Sheikh Khalid Jehangir, its spokesman.
- “In fact the separatists slammed their doors on them,” he added.
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