Both factions of the Hurriyat on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “look beyond the Indian Constitution” for a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem.
“If a lasting and permanent solution to the Kashmir problem could be found within the Indian Constitution, then it would have happened. Kashmir, in fact, is ruled by that Constitution for the last 70 years but still suffers immensely, particularly for the past three decades,” Hurriyat faction chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told .
Asking Mr. Modi to “look beyond the Constitution”, the Mirwaiz said, “Fifth generation since 1947 would not be on the streets for the past month and a half, braving bullets and pellets, being killed, blinded and maimed, had a solution being worked out by allowing a trilateral dialogue among the real stakeholders — India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir.”
He said closing eyes to the ground realities and parroting a script would not lead to any breakthrough.
“Boldness is needed to address the issue head on, with a view to finding a final resolution. The most democratic way forward is to hold a referendum,” he said.
Hurriyat faction chief Syed Ali Geelani asked Mr. Modi “to shun state violence and uphold international law”.
‘Stick to U.N. charter’
“Respect and adhere to the United Nations charter, especially resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. The universal principle, right to self-determination, is the only road through which peace can be achieved in J&K,” Mr. Geelani said.
Reach out: Mehbooba
Buoyed by Mr. Modi’s statement on Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called for “reaching out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir through substantive political and economic measures to address anger and alienation and find a lasting solution”.
“The prevailing painful situation in Kashmir necessitates reaching out to all shades of the political opinion and initiating substantive political and economic measures to revive and consolidate the peace and resolution process,” the Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen supreme commander and United Jehad Council (UJC) chief Syed Salahudin on Monday asked the pro-India politician to resign and join pro-freedom rank else the “nation won’t spare them later”.
“There is still time for the pro-India politicians to give up pro-India politics and join pro-freedom ranks otherwise nation won’t spare them later,” Salahudin said.
In a statement issued to news agency KNS, he said pro-India politicians should be join pro-freedom ranks instead of being the advocates of the central leadership in Delhi.
Addressing a meeting of the UJC, Salahudin said that if the international community and Pakistan does not take concrete steps to address situation in Kashmir, a huge human catastrophe might break out.
“India is trying to curb the freedom sentiment in Kashmir by using disproportionate pellets, bullets, teargas and other such weaponry only to break the will of the people by subjecting them to economic starvation and non-availability of basic amenities of life”.
“Let Pakistan try to attract world attention through diplomatic exercises and extend concrete help to Kashmir fully,” he added.
