The Hindu : National : Patil apprised of Kashmir situation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 07, 2004

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National

Patil apprised of Kashmir situation

By Shujaat Bukhari

The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil (second from right), with the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, S.K Sinha (second from left); the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gulam Nabi Azad (left), and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, at a meeting at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar on Saturday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

SRINAGAR NOV. 6. The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, began a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir today and interacted with a large number of political leaders and public delegations. He discussed the latest political and security situation with the Governor, S. K. Sinha, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and his ministerial colleagues.

Accompanied by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Ministers of State for Home, S. P. Jaiswal and S. Ragupathy, the Centre's Interlocutor on Kashmir, N. N. Vohra, and other top officials, Mr. Patil had one-to-one meetings with Mr. Sinha and Mr. Sayeed.

An official spokesman said that during their half-hour meeting, the Governor briefed Mr. Patil on the political and security situation in the State. Mr. Patil discussed the general situation in the State, local problems and the security scenario with Mr. Sayeed.

Talking to the media at the Raj Bhawan later, Mr. Sayeed said he gave his assessment of the situation to Mr. Patil and told him about the improvement in the general situation. There had been a lot of progress in this regard and people were feeling a greater sense of security now.

"There is a good atmosphere in the State and the process of talks with Pakistan has had a good effect," he said.

Asked how he viewed the fidayeen (suicide) attack on the security forces at Sopore today, he said incidents such as these did take place but did not affect the normal life of the people. People wanted peace and did not let their routine get affected by isolated incidents of violence.

`Lift ban on recruitment'

The Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, who also met Mr. Patil, said he conveyed to him the State's demand for lifting the ban on recruitment to the State and Central services.

"Forces inimical to country were exploiting the problem of unemployment in the State to fuel militancy," he said.

Mr. Sharma said that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian Union was final and it had been accepted by the Kashmir leadership from time to time who included Sheikh Abdullah, Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad and others.

Talking to Pakistan was a compulsion and "we will not cecede an inch to Pakistan and should get back the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir."

The CPI (M) State secretary, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, and the State Forest Minister, Mohiuddin Sofi, also met the Home Minister.

Omar's plea

The National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, also met Mr. Patil and apprised him of the security situation.

"We told him that there is a breakdown in peace process which should begin again and when the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, visits Kashmir he should make an announcement so that the talks resume," he told reporters at the Raj Bhavan.

Mr. Abdullah said that Centre should allow the Hurriyat Conference leaders to visit Pakistan. "It is unfortunate that they have laid a pre-condition. They should have met the Home Minister and put forth the demand," he said.

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