Reiterating their demand for calling all parties meeting and political dialogue with “all stakeholders” on Kashmir issue, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the party was seriously concerned about the ongoing situation.“We want that normalcy returns to the state. We feel pained if there is any painful situation there. So, it is our obligation to restore normalcy to the state,” Yechury, who is also politburo member of CPI (M), told KNS over phone from New Delhi.“Only dialogue and political process can resolve the issue. First, an all party meeting should be called in the country so that all political parties are on board. And in Kashmir all political forces should be called for dialogue to resolve the issue,” he said.
However, he expressed surprise that three weeks have passed since the unrest began in Kashmir, yet the all parties meeting has not been called by the BJP-led government at the centre.On holding dialogue with separatists, the communist leader said that political dialogue means to talk with all stakeholders for restoring normalcy. “Then the subsequent dialogue will be started on other issues as well. There is no other way than dialogue to end the present unrest,” he added.
The communist leader said that playing political games on Kashmir would be dangerous.“It is the question of winning hearts of Kashmiri people. It is the question of humanity. But if you start playing political games on it then it will be a dangerous thing,” Yechury said.Yechury, who was part of the all parties delegation to Kashmir that was headed by then home minister P Chidambaram, said all parties delegation in 2010 had recommended use of rubber bullets and water cannons for crowd control rat her than pellet guns.
He said that the centre government should direct security forces to stop firing pellets on innocent civilians.“We condemn the use of pellet guns on civilians. And the government must stop using pellet guns. Pellets are causing grave injuries,” he told KNS over phone.“Action should be taken against those security personnel who fired bullets on innocent civilians,” he said.He said that all parties delegation in 2010 and interlocutors report were among the many opportunities that have been missed by the centre for resolving the Kashmir issue.“We demand that interlocutors report be tabled in the parliament for debate,” he said.“In 2010, P Chidambaram was not agreeing first that all parties delegation should meet Geelani Sahab, but we persisted and then he agreed with us. No doubt our suggestions would differ, but we have to talk.” (KNS)