SRINAGAR:Dealing a setback to attempts for restoring Kashmir to normalcy, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the leader of the joint separatist camp in Kashmir, has said that he will not meet the all party delegation that, he said, neither has a mandate nor the intention to solve the Kashmir dispute.
“The Indian parliamentary delegation is coming to Kashmir after passing a resolution that Kashmir is an integral part of India,” Geelani said on Friday. “Therefore, this delegation has neither the mandate nor the intention to resolve the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.”
With most of the separatist leaders under arrest, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik have told Syed Ali Geelani to hold charge of the entire resistance leadership till their release from incarceration.
Geelani has been languishing under house arrest.
Urging all stakeholders to boycott the meeting, Geelani said until India keeps calling Kashmir its ‘integral’ part, there is no fun in talking to anybody else.
“Indian parliamentarians should have a special session of Parliament where they should accept the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir to pave the way for holding referendum in the whole of the state that existed in 1947, to settle this issue permanently, peacefully and democratically,” Geelani said. “We suggest to all stakeholders to refrain from engaging in this meaningless exercise of meeting this delegation.”
The all-party delegation will be led by Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It is scheduled to arrive on Sunday. The delegation will hold its meetings at the SKICC.
Kashmir Inc in a statement on Friday said that they, too, will stay away from the delegation because such “half-hearted” measures won’t solve any purpose”.
“Kashmir Inc is an apolitical organisation and the delegation should talk to the Hurriyat (represented by three leaders).
“Let the mockery of symbolic Kashmir visits over our tragedy end, and seriousness begin for an effort for sustainable solution to Kashmir dispute,” a statement issued by the Kashmir trade organisations said this afternoon. “Even Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the opposition leader of Rajya Sabha recently sought a permanent solution, which can’t come through cosmetic patchwork.”
Suggesting the delegation should talk to the Hurriyat leadership, the trade body said that tangible measures need to be taken by even taking Pakistan on board.
The various constituents of the Kashmir Inc have reportedly been approached by the administration asking them about their willingness for the meeting before a formal invitation was sent to them.
Kashmir Traders, Sikh Bodies To Boycott Meet
After Hurriyat conference, the Kashmir traders’ bodies and even Sikh coordination committee have announced that they won't be meeting the visiting parliamentarians.
The trade bodies have termed the visit of the delegation as a meaningless exercise. "Last time the government of India came here in 2010, which was followed by a parliamentary committee for discussions with various leaders and trade organisations. This was followed by appointment of interlocutors.
These interlocutors submitted recommendations which were never released or taken any cognisance of," the Kashmir Economic Alliance said in a statement.
All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) on Saturday also said that they would boycott the all-party delegation headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh visiting Kashmir tomorrow.
The APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina told news agencies in Kashmir, "Home Minister himself has visited Kashmir twice and promised ban on pellet guns but has failed to keep his promise and forces are using pellet guns randomly."
All party delegation is likely to visit the valley on September 4.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Forum of Kashmir (CSFK) said the members of the civil society have unanimously decided that no representation will be given to any delegation which is supposed to visit Kashmir to discuss the ongoing uprising.
The CSFK asked GoI to take up and discuss the issue of Kashmir “with relevant stakeholders instead of beating around the bush”.
Bar Decides To Boycott
Kashmir High Court Bar Association (KHCBA) Saturday said it will not meet the all-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh which is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit to hold talks with all stakeholders in an attempt to resolve the Kashmir problem.
"We the members of High Court Bar Association, numbering more than 1,000, are sorry to inform you that we cannot meet the members of the delegation because we know that there is nothing in your hands," the lawyer’s body said in an open letter to the all-party delegation.
The association said such initiatives in the past had yielded nothing.
"You were here in 1990, 2008 and 2010, but that time also after meeting the people, you did nothing. The reason is obvious that you have your own limitations. We also know that before coming to Kashmir, you were briefed by Home Ministry officials for several days," the association said.
The KHCBA said it was "not afraid of talking to you" but the exercise was futile in view of the assertion made by the Centre that Kashmir is an integral part of India.
"When your delegation members proceed on the assumption that Kashmir is an integral part of India, what is the fun of talking to you.
"You used your best oratory in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to persuade Rajnath Singh to stop the use of pellet guns in Kashmir, but you could not succeed in stopping the use of pellet guns in Kashmir," it said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement on Friday that Kashmir issue can be addressed through Vikas (development) and Vishwas (trust) , the association said "Is it for that, that you have come to Kashmir and invite the people to talk to you? If it is so, which reality it is, it is only wastage of time to engage any Kashmiri in talks with your delegation".
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