JOIN USTo resolve the Kashmir crisis, the Centre should take up confidence-building measures as well as start political dialogue, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said.
He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating a national conference on ‘Implementation of Article 371(J) and Hyderabad-Karnataka Region Development: Present Challenges’ here on Saturday. The conference was organised by the Implementation of Article 371(J) and Hyderabad-Karnataka Region Development Agitation Committee.
Yechury said the government should convince the Kashmiris that it was receptive to their problems and ready to talk to them. “The government should immediately stop the use of pellet guns. Even Israel doesn’t use it against Palestinians. But we are using it against our own people.” He also called for revoking the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the civilian areas of Kashmir and limiting it to the border.
For effective political dialogue, he said, some preparation was required. In this regard, recommendations of study groups and report of the interlocutors’ committee formed by the UPA government in 2010 could be useful. Similarly, he asked the Centre to prepare a list of points on which they can speak to Kashmiris. Even former prime minister A B Vajapayee spoke to the Hizbul Mujahideen. On actor Ramya’s remark on Pakistan, Yechury said, “We must make a distinction between Pakistani administration and its people.”