New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) Amid continuing unrest and killings in the Kashmir, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday began an initiative to calm the tempers of the Valley’s youth, holding a dialogue with representatives of students from several universities.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the in-camera dialogue organised by the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Research Foundation (SPMRF), whose director is Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesman Tarun Vijay.
About 60 students from the Kashmir University, Islamic University for Science and Technology and other professional colleges from the Valley are taking part in the dialogue, an SPMRF spokesperson told IANS. The delegation is led by Islamic University’s Vice-Chancellor Siddiq Wahid.
In his opening remarks, Gadkari said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India. ‘This matter is non-negotiable. We are ready for a dialogue on any other issue regarding the Kashmir situation.’
‘For a political dialogue to take shape on the emerging situation in the Kashmir valley, people need to shed violence,’ he added.
Gadkari said that ‘the real solution to the problem of Kashmir lies in educating its youth and ensuring greater economic reforms in the region,’ adding that the Indian Constitution guaranteed aspirations of all sections of the society.
Tarun Vijay said that it was for the first time, a mass interaction on peace in Kashmir was held in Delhi, with majority of the participants being students of Kashmir University and Islamic University. Representatives of Kashmiri Pandit migrants too attended the dialogue.
‘In the time to come, Kashmiri youth will lead the nation in different spheres,’ he said.
The dialogue participants also met Home Minister P. Chidambaram, an SPMRF release said.
The Kashmiri youth will interact with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and young MPs from various parties Wednesday, Vijay said.
