Cheif Minister Mehbooba Mufti meeting the party workers in the rally

Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called upon the resistance leadership to cease the dialogue offer made by the Delhi.

“Such opportunities of dialogue don’t come always,” Muft told the gathering of her party workers at S K Park Srinagar.

“But this time Home Minister of India has announced unilateral ceasefire and offered unconditional dialogue offer to people of all hues. Let the separatist leadership come forward for dialogue to end bloodshed in Kashmir”.

She said the ceasefire has halted the non-stop incidents of killings and dialogue with the separatists can be held the same way it was held between the then Deputy Prime Minister L K Adavni and “separatist leaders” during the reign of Vajpayee led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the year 2004.

The chief minister appealed all the political parties in the state to play their role in bringing out the people out of the throes of violence by joining the recently announced “dialogue offer”.

She said the people of the state, particularly youth, have been in turmoil for the last three decades or so and the need is to come to their rescue by joining the dialogue process to give them a safe, secure and peaceful future.

Chief minister said the main idea behind convening the All Party Meeting was to plead “centre to go for ceasefire in the state”.

“With this we have made a beginning and I thank the parties which supported me in this. Now the onus lies on all other political parties to contribute positively towards this peace project”, she said while recounting her efforts to persuade Delhi to announce ceasefire.

Reiterating her stand that only a peaceful engagement in the state can usher in peace, reconciliation and resolution of issues, Mufti said the whole ‘country looks up to the leadership in the state to rise to the occasion and take benefit of the opportunity offered by this historic decision of the Centre’.

“No matter on which side of the divide youth get killed, the ultimate loss is of the State and its people. If this opportunity is lost, tomorrow there would be nobody left to plead our case”, she added.

Delhi has halted security operations in Kashmir for the month of Ramzaan.

Following that Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that India was ready to have a dialogue with the Hurriyat.

Singh also held talks with top officers including those from bureaucracy, intelligence grid and army all of whom have reportedly batted for dialogue with Pakistan and the Hurriyat “to bring peace in Kashmir”.

Reacting to the offer, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) had expressed their willingness to join the dialogue, but with the pre-condition- Delhi’s offer was ambiguous and, thus, it should come clear on its stand.

The chief minister said India-Pakistan friendship is in the best interest of the people of the state as it has a direct bearing on the people here.

“Even the arch rivals North Korea and South Korea now are meeting to sort out issues, why can’t we?”, Musti questioned while pitching for the opening of more historic routes in the state to increase people to people contacts.

“Help me in maintaining peace, I assure you opening of more such historic routes in the state”, she claimed.