India, Pakistan should find solution to Kashmir issue: Geelani

April 28th, 2011 - 2:21 pm ICT by ANI  

Ram Vilas Paswan Srinagar, Apr 28 (ANI): Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said India and Pakistan should find a solution to the Kashmir issue keeping in mind the interest of those people who want freedom for the state.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President Ram Vilas Paswan here on Wednesday, Geelani said he was ready to have discussion with the government.

“We don’t say no to any talks or discussion, but what we want is that the peace talks that will happen should be with everyone’s consensus and opinions. Pakistan, India and Jammu and Kashmir are involved in the debate of the freedom of the state and that is the foundation of every person in the state,” he added.

Geelani had also insisted on his five-point formula to the state government to accept it and resolve the Kashmir dispute.

Paswan, who is on an official tour to the state, said there should be talks between the central government and the separatist leader instead of interlocutors organising talks with others.

“The government set up a group of interlocutors and now who are these three interlocutors talking to? The people who are here, those who prepare the calendar like Geelani, so the factors that the government has to talk to them. But, if you don’t talk to them then there is no use of having talks like the interlocutors are having,” he said.

Claiming that Geelani holds sway over a large population in Kashmir, Paswan said any dialogue process without him would be a futile exercise.

“Geelani has raised five points. Whether or not Kashmir is a disputed place can be discussed later. First, the government should talk about four other points,” he said.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had appointed a three-member panel comprising Dileep Padgaonkar, M. M. Ansari and Radha Kumar to deliberate with cross section of opinion in the state.

Padgaonkar had on April 20 said the intelligentsia of Jammu and Kashmir is against the division of the province on communal lines but supported more autonomy under Article 370 of the Constitution and devolution of powers to the region. (ANI)

Related Stories

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in National |

Subscribe