Rajnath fumes at Hurriyat for not meeting delegation

The all-party delegation returned from Srinagar on Monday without engaging with the separatists on ending violence in the valley. Lashing out at the separatist Hurriyat Conference leaders before leaving Srinagar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said behaviour of the Hurriyat leaders was not keeping with the spirit of Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat.

Singh asserted that “the doors and windows for dialogue” on Kashmir were always open but ruled out any talks with Pakistan on the issue in near future.

“Some members of delegation went to meet Hurriyat leaders in their individual capacity. We neither said ‘Yes’ nor ‘No’ (to the move). The information given by the delegates (about how the members were treated) makes it clear that it is neither Kashmiriyat nor insaniyat,” Singh, who led the delegation, told reporters on the second day of its visit.

Singh evaded a direct reply to a question about BJP support to the move by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to write to the separatists urging them to engage with the delegation for resolution of Kashmir issue. In response to another question, the Home Minister said he did not want to go into the debate about back channel talks with the separatists or appointment of a fresh team of interlocutors on Kashmir.