Modi should adopt Vajpayee’s path to resolve Kashmir: Hurriyat (M)

Srinagar, July 3 (KMW): Hurriyat Conference (M) on Thursday said that Narendra Modi led government should follow Vajpayee’s path for resolution of Kashmir under the ambit of humanity.

“On the upcoming visit of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the people of Kashmir will be observing a complete and total strike. It is our earnests wish that Mr. Modi and the newly elected NDA government understand the ardent political message we seek to convey through this act,” a Hurriyat (M) statement issued to KMW said.
It added: “We have repeatedly expressed our hope that the Kashmir Issue is addressed in its proper perspective as a political and human issue. The Modi government should adopt the path of BJP’s veteran leader, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who once declared it his “dream and wish to resolve the Kashmir Issue” and who proposed talks and a solution “under the ambit of Insaniyat”. However, we are yet to see any sign of a clear commitment towards the effective resolution of the Kashmir Issue.”
He added: “Unless the Kashmir Issue is addressed head on, the recent peace overtures between India and Pakistan initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will not move forward and the people of Jammu & Kashmir will continue to be caught in the tragic impasse. We are concerned that the same political complacency that has been the hallmark of Govt of India’s policy approach sofar on Kashmir might be set to continue. Instead of using political imagination, we are concerned that the same old militaristic and hegemonic approaches will continue in Kashmir. This would mean the perpetuation of the human suffering and tragedies that we have seen for decades in Kashmir. Moreover, there are increasing fears that Kashmiris might face further attempts of domination and fresh threats to our identity.”
It said: “Thus, today, in light of the concerns expressed above and to voice our unequivocal demand for a full-fledged peace process aimed at the resolution of Kashmir issue, we choose to observe a complete strike across Kashmir. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) reiterates its fervent call to resolve the Kashmir Issue once and for all. India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu & Kashmir – must engage with each other and put forward serious efforts to resolve the conflict. Efforts must be focused on finding a solution that accommodates the needs and interests of all parties. The solution will have to be acceptable to all sides and it must reflect the will of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. In this regards, we are seeking only what is due to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as a matter of legal, moral, and historical right.”
The Hurriyat (M) (has observed that such an approach will require sincerity and statesmanship from all sides and at all levels. To make a start, we expect that any serious effort will require willingness on the part of all the three parties to engage in a genuine process of conflict resolution, in good faith. An unconditional and imaginative approach is needed to jointly search for a solution.
“The newly-elected NDA government has been given a strong democratic mandate by the people of India. It should now adopt a fresh approach towards a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir Issue so that peace, prosperity and stability can become a reality in South Asia. If it fails to do so, it would be a missed opportunity on a colossal scale.”
It added: “The newly-elected government must not repeat the mistake of relying on militaristic approaches and should stop believing that time alone would resolve the Kashmir Issue. It should recognize that the Kashmiri struggle has continued to be passed from one generation to the next and it is more alive today than ever before. We hope that the Government of India will recognize that the will of Kashmiris cannot be suppressed nor can it be wished away.”
The Hurriyat (M) has said: “It is up to the newly-elected NDA Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi to spell out its Kashmir policy and to decide whether it is truly serious about resolving the Kashmir Issue or not. There is an urgent need for a solution to the Kashmir Issue through a serious process of political dialogue. Once again the APHC would like to reiterate that if we see any signs of a serious, imaginative and courageous effort to find a solution, Kashmiris will definitely respond with an even greater sense of seriousness, imagination and courage.” (KMW)