Separatists slam PM Narendra Modi move

New Delhi: The Hurriyat leaders attacked Mr Modi for the decision to call off the talks, noting that though he had declared he would follow former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee’s policies, he was headed in a different direction.  They noted that Mr Vajpayee had in fact facilitated their meetings with the Pakistan leadership.

The Mirwaiz said that Pakistan’s decision to hold talks with separatist leaders despite objections by New Delhi was highly appreciated. Expressing sadness over the decision to cancel the talks, the Mirwaiz said that there was an atmosphere of peace in the air and the calling off of talks had left a bad taste in the mouths of Kashmiri people.

With Islamabad also asserting that the meeting with Hurriyat leaders was not the first time it had happened, observers noted that in several instances in the past, no such meetings had taken place prior to an India, Pakistan meeting. They noted that the Hurriyat had not been called for a meeting prior to S.M. Krishna’s visit in 2012.