New Delhi: The underlying theme of the all-party meeting on Kashmir convened by the Centre is likely to stress on a dialogue with all stakeholders including exploring possibilities of opening up of communication channels with the separatist in a bid to contain the ongoing turbulence in the Valley.
Government sources told this newspaper that even Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti too had stressed upon the need to initiate a dialogue process with various groups in the Valley, including Hurriyat, during her meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday.
Ms Mufti was of the view that the move would help provide a healing touch to the Valley. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too while speaking at a rally in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday indicated his willingness for talks within the framework of ‘insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat’, a theme invoked by former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee had invoked.
In fact, pressure is mounting on the Modi dispensation from its alliance partner in J&K, the PDP, for starting talks with the separatists. The Mehbooba Government had also reached out to the Hurriyat requesting them to issue an appeal to the stone-pelting youth for restoring peace in the Valley.
The Congress has also welcomed the all-party meeting with party leader Rajeev Shukla describing it as a good development. There is a growing view, sources said, within the Government also that talks with all stakeholders is the only way forward but the Centre wants to first prepare the groundwork as to how the deliberations can be initiated.
