Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said some members of parliament from the all-party delegation went to meet Kashmiri separatists in their individual capacity and the behaviour of the Hurriyat leaders with them defied the spirit of "Kashmiriyat" and "insaniyat"."Some members of the delegation went to meet Hurriyat leaders. We had neither said no nor yes to their meetings (with separatists). You know what happened. They had gone there in their individual capacity," the Home Minister told reporters here before concluding the all-party delegation's visit to the restive Valley.He was referring to an attempt by some national opposition leaders from the delegation to hold talks with top Kashmiri separatists on Saturday but were snubbed.Hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani didn't let the MPs in as Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav and Communist leaders Sitaram Yechury and D. Raja kept waiting at the door of his upscale Hyderpora residence for about ten minutes before returning."What I learnt from some members of the all-party delegation, who went to meet the separatist leaders, was certainly neither 'Kashmiriyat' nor 'insaniyat' (humane)," the Home Minister said."If you do not want to talk is a different thing. But what they did proves they have no faith in democracy."Visibly disappointed over the opposition leaders' attempt to cut ice with separatist leaders, the Home Minister said he tweeted before arriving in Srinagar that "we are ready to talk to anyone who wants peace and normalcy in Kashmir".
The all-party delegation arrived here on Sunday on a mission to initiate dialogue to restore peace in the valley that is battling nearly two months of the deadliest unrest in years.The delegation apparently made no headway as the situation in the valley continued to be tense amid recurring street protests, triggered by the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.At least 74 people have been killed and nearly 12,000 injured in the weeks of the unrest, the deadliest since 2010 when some 120 people died in firing by police and paramilitary troopers.Rajnath Singh said "everybody in Kashmir wants peace and normalcy to return."I am hopeful that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve. There is no second opinion about the fact that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will remain an integral part of India."He said a popular complaint about the use of pellet guns in controlling mobs has been addressed and chilli pepper balls, also called PAVA shells, have been recommended as an alternative non-lethal weapon."I am sure nobody will die by the use of PAVA shells during mob control," he said.The Home Minister reiterated that the central government was prepared to talk to anybody and everybody who was interested in peace and normalcy in the state."Not only our doors, but our window ventilation is also open for anyone who wants to talk to us for bringing in peace and normalcy in the state within the ambit of 'jamhooriyat', 'Kashmiriyat' and 'insaniyat'," he said, refusing to comment on whether any backwater channels had been opened to engage the separatists.