National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Wednesday asked the Centre to hold talks with all the stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, saying opening of channels of dialogue will led to successful outcomes. “On June 22, 2019 the state governor had said that the Hurriyat (Conference) was ready for talks. I believe the BJP should use its massive mandate to solve the protracted issue of Jammu and Kashmir. There is no other alternative to dialogue,” Abdullah, the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, said in a statement. He said it is the institution of dialogue that will commit both to listen, reflect and question in order to reach a greater understanding. “It is an apt time for the Centre to open all channels of dialogue with the Hurriyat. We have been hearing the catch-words of ‘Kashmiriyat’, ‘Jamhooriyat’, and ‘Insaniyat’ for long now. However, nothing substantial was done to materialise them,” he said. Abdullah said the BJP-led central government should without much delay tread the path as shown by late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “The Centre should move in that direction and hold talks with all stakeholders in the state on the principles advocated by him. The measure of opening dialogue with all the stakeholders will certainly act as a catalyst for restoring peace in the ill-fated state of ours,” he said. “It is high time for the BJP to turn its massive mandate into an aggressive engagement with all the stakeholders,” he added,” the NC chief added. Abdullah said the central government should also address the external dimensions of the issue and use the method of tact and diplomacy. “The central government should continue with the good work done by former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Pakistan too should attend to the genuine grievances of India. The much touted ‘neighbourhood first’ policy of the BJP-led central government would not be able to give India much anticipated diplomatic dividends if neighbours are left out on this front,” he said. “I am of the thought that India and Pakistan bonhomie is indispensable for the fight against terrorism,” he added. Rejecting the frequent tirade of BJP ministers against Articles 370 and 35- A, he said, “The prime minister should stop the untaught and unintelligent rants emanating from his party.” “The matter of Art 35-A is sub-judice and therefore, it is not appropriate for anybody to comment on it. On the other hand, the Supreme Court has recently opined in its April 3 judgment that Art 370 has acquired a permanent status,” Abdullah added.
