11-member political delegation meets separatist leader Malik in Srinagar

SRINAGAR - Eleven member delegation, comprising representatives of seven political groups and three civil society members met separatist leader Yasin Malik in Srinagar.

The delegation, comprising Ram Vilas Paswan and Shoaib Iqbal of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Gopal Choudary of Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M), D. Raja of Communist party of India, Namo Nageshwar Rao of Telgu Desham Party, Danish Ali of Janta Dal - Secular (JD-S), Maheshwar Hazari of Janta Dal- United (JD-U), Shahid Siddiqui of Rashtriya Lok Dal, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, journalist Seema Mustafa and academician Professor Kamal Chenoy also met Tufail Ahmad Mattoo’s family on Friday.

Matoo, a class 12 student, was killed after he received head injuries by a tear gas shell fired by police on June 11.

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan said the motive behind this delegation was to bring in light the real situation and problems of the Kashmir valley.

“The motive behind our delegation is that we will spread our voice in the Parliament as well as on the roads, because Parliament is not only of the government, it also belongs to the opposition and other parties, and will also create a public opinion,” said Paswan.

“We also met the youths in the Valley. We also met the family members of Tufail Ahmad Mattoo and had a talk with everybody. So, the main motive is to spread awareness about the problems that are prevailing in the Valley and the situation of the Valley among the common people,” he added.

Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Yasin Malik said they welcome this initiative and want the delegation to intervene in solving out the problems of Kashmir.

“This is a joint initiative of the parliament members and the people of civil society. We had a talk with them; they also talked to us with an open heart. We are sure that this private initiative of the parliament members and civil society will be successful in intervening that it is necessary to solve the problems of Kashmir. Solving out the problem is in the favour of the people of India, Kashmir as well as Pakistan,” said Malik.

The delegation was on a three-day visit and met people of different shades of opinion, including the separatist leaders.

The team would also be meeting separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

The team has termed the trip as a confidence building measure that would suggest social, political and economic measures towards peace in Kashmir. By Parvez Butt (ANI)