Talks with Telangana lawmakers to continue: Azad

"The talks would continue. The talks have not been closed," Azad told reporters on the sidelines of a function in R S Pura belt.

He was replying to queries related to the demand for Telangana issue taking the centre-stage again after over 100 MLAs and 15 MPs, cutting across party lines, submitted their resignations to respective presiding officers.

"I and MPs and MLAs (of Congress who resigned in support of demand for creation of Telangana) had two rounds of talks over the issue of Telangana. We did not talk to all of them but to their representatives," the Union Health Minister said.

"In the past two days, we held two rounds of talks with those MPs and MLAs, who have resigned. I have full hope that talks would continued," Azad said.

To a question about ministers resigning from the Union Cabinet in the wake of the 2G scam, Azad said, "It is unfortunate that such things are happening....Law will take its own course.

"In the eyes of the law, there is no difference between a minister and non-minister," he said.

In reply to a question on separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's statement against stone-pelting, Azad said, "This is good statement. We have said this for years that bullet and stones cannot lead to any result. It is not in favour of the state".

Azad said violence would only harm the development process in the state. "I want to congratulate the people of Kashmir Valley particularly the youth that they have realised that bullet and stones are no solution to the problem," Azad said.