Srinagar, Dec 3 (IANS) A 10-member delegation of parliamentarians and civil society activists arrives here Friday to interact with separatists, locals, victims of the recent unrest, mainstream politicians and the youth to discuss ways to solve the Kashmir problem.
The delegation includes Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan, Communist Party of India’s (CPI) D. Raja, Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) Gopal Choudhary, Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) Namo Nageshwar Rao, Janata Dal-Secular’s Danish Ali and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt as well as journalist Seema Mustafa.
The group is expected to call on hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik and mainstream People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.
The team will also meet relatives of the youth killed during the unrest that started June 11, local youths and representatives of the minority Pandits among others.
‘We will build parliamentary and civil society pressure for taking steps needed for building a conducive atmosphere in the Valley,’ Seema Mustafa told a local newspaper here.
She also said the appointment of non-political interlocutors by the central government was ‘disappointing and the need of the hour is to involve those who can bridge the gap here’.
