Kashmir separatist group lashes out at Mehbooba for 'justifying Indian brutalities'

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Saturday to the resistance leaders, asking them to take a lead by engaging with the all-party delegation who is in the Valley for two days from Sunday.

The letter by Mehbooba Mufti however has been sent not in her capacity as the chief minister but as party president of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

"Notwithstanding the fact that you and I have different and divergent political ideologies, I have no doubt that all of us have the best interest of the people of J&K in mind. True, our politics and programs are at variance with each other, but our concerns for our people and society in general, and the future of our youth in particular, should not be any different," the CM wrote.

"As such, I write to you in my capacity as the President of the J&K Peoples Democratic Party and request you to take the lead and engage with the All Party Delegation of Parliamentarians visiting the state tomorrow. This will be the start of a credible and meaningful political dialogue and resolution process to end the stalemate," she said.

"Cutting across party lines and political positions, the country’s political leadership has reached out and it is for us to collectively lend it credence and credibility," she said.

The CM said: "All of us, be it the mainstream political parties or political groups with a separatist agenda, voice the urges and aspirations of our people, as we understand those, and seek a resolution of the problems as we see them from our own perspectives."

Mufti said her party believes that the  Hurriyat Conference is a stakeholder in the peace, resolution and prosperity of the state.

"Indeed, right in the beginning in our Party’s founding declaration we stood for dialogue with all stakeholders as the only way forward," she said.

"When we formed an alliance with the Congress Party, the cornerstone of our Common Minimum Program was dialogue with parties of all
ideological hues. This was later followed by an unconditional dialogue, under the leadership of the then Prime Minster Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, with Deputy Prime Minster, Shri L K Advani," she said.

"In the manifesto of our Party for the last Parliamentary Election, it was clearly mentioned that PDP will seek the resolution of the issue taking Hurriyat Conference on board.  The same was reiterated in the manifesto our assembly election," Mufti said.

"Indeed,  even in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’, which is the basis of our government formation with our alliance partners, the Bharatiya Janata Party,  it has been made clear that the State Government will create conditions to facilitate resolution of all issues and will help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all the
stakeholders, including all political groups in J&K irrespective of their i deological views and predilections to build a broad based consensus on resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K," she said.

"To convert our conviction and commitment of a peaceful and prosperous J&K into reality, it is important that you share your thoughts and beliefs with this distinguished group who represent the people of India and not only the Government of India," the Chief Minister said.

"I do hope that you will give this suggestion of mine a thought and indicate a time and place of your convenience for an exchange of ideas with the delegation," she said.

Jammu and Kashmir has been facing severe violence since the death of Hizbul commander BurhanWani on July 8.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)