Senior separatist leader Muhammad Yasin Malik on Wednesday said he doesn't see any window for anyone among the separatists in the present circumstances to hold talks with Kashmir interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma.
“Who’s against the dialogue? I have met everyone. Haven’t I said I have met RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) members? I have me Leftists and Indians across the board, even the prime minister,” Malik said addressing a gathering in Srinagar.
He, however, said after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at former Union minister P Chidambaram for supporting autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, no one should pin hope on the interlocutor.
Last month, Chidambaram had pitched for greater autonomy for J&K, saying his interactions with people in Kashmir had led him to conclude that an overwhelming majority of Kashmiris want autonomy.
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In response, the PM accused the Congress of “shamelessly” taking a U-turn and lending its voice for “Kashmir’s azaadi”.
“The Congress will have to give an answer for this statement,” Modi said without taking Chidambaram's name.
Malik said among all separatist constituents no one believes in the Greater autonomy, which was rejected by the prime minister.
“I wonder where in such conditions some people see a hope,” Malik said without naming any separatist leaders, who have met the Kashmir interlocutor.
“The killings are continuing, bodies of youths are on our shoulders, the NIA gun is on our head,” he said, adding that “this is not acceptable to us.”
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Malik also said: “We’re asking our friends who prompted our youths to take different path in 1980s to have a sense of belonging toward them. Show some accountability. The killings of Kashmiri youths and a picture with the interlocutor will not go hand-in-hand,” he said.
Malik’s statement assumes importance as since last year, after the killing of 22-year-old militant commander Burhan Muzaffer Wani, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Malik himself have forged an issue based unity. They named this rare show of unity as joint resistance leadership (JRL).
Sharma has reportedly met Hurriyat Conference senior leader, Prof Bhat during his visit to the Valley in the last week of November.
Bhat has neither confirmed it nor denied it.
“The dialogue should be initiated between India and Pakistan to resolve the dispute. I am open. I will be meeting a devil if a devil calls me to talk about Kashmir. I will talk him about Kashmir,” Bhat told Outlook.
Sharma also didn’t confirm the meeting.
