Ahead of the all party delegation's visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow, the Home minister P Chidambaram has said that it is time to act on promises made to the people of the state. In an interview to an English daily, Mr Chidambaram said the content of the demand for autonomy is a matter for dialogue and discussion. The Home minister is leading a 35 member all party delegation to gather the views of all shades of opinion in a bid to find solution to the current crisis.Leaders of the prominent political parties are part of the delegation including leaders of the opposition in Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha besides top left leaders.The cabinet committee on security also held extensive discussions on the issue besides the core group of the Congress party. All the parties have unanimously supported to start dialogue with all shades of opinion after peace is restored in the valley.The centre also recently convened an all party meeting in New Delhi to evolve a consensus to deal with the present situation in the valley apart from meeting representatives of political parties from Kashmir.Meanwhile, Army chief General V K Singh has said that there have been more infiltration attempts in Kashmir in the last two months. General Singh said the Armed Forces Special Powers Act now in force in Kashmir is an enabling provision and not an arbitrary one. Jammu and Kashmir Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that any body and any group can meet the All Party delegation. He strongly refuted PDP charge that the state government is trying to keep away general people and civil society away from meeting the Delegation.Earlier, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti had alleged that the state government wants the All Party Delegation to meet only the main stream parties.
News On AIR | September 19, 2010 8:43 PM
‘Time to act on promises made to Kashmiris: Home minister