Barely two months after the BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said the centre will not talk to separatists who use 'kashmir as guinea pigs', Madhav today said the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Centre are open to having dialogue with all stakeholders, including separatists, to address the Kashmir issue.
Centre Open To Dialogue With Separatists Who Come Without Preconditions, Says Ram Madhav
"We have said from the beginning and we have maintained that our doors are open to all the stakeholders in the state, they are welcome to come and have a dialogue with the state government as well as whoever wants to talk to the central government, we are open to a dialogue," he told reporters when asked whether talks will be held with separatists in Kashmir.
The BJP had earlier time and again refused to have a dialogue with separatists. In May this year, party president Amit Shah had ruled out dialogue on the Kashmir issue until stone-pelting ends.
"We have said that we will start dialogue once stone- pelting stops. As long as there is stone-pelting, there cannot be dialogue. We cannot give them flower if they pelt stones. They will have to understand it," he had said.
However, the BJP general secretary said those who do not want to take part in the dialogue process should be questioned.
"But the question should be asked to those who do not want to go for the dialogue. Those who want to come for a dialogue, we are open to talking to everybody who wants to come and have a dialogue with us...Without any preconditions," he said.
The phrase in Madhav's tweet - 'without any precondittions'- created quite a confusion and hope for many.
Omar Abdullah on Twitter confused Madhav's statement on engaging in a dialogue with separatists who come 'without any preconditions' with the Centre's willingness to have a dialogue with them without any preconditions.
Madhav said that if the opposition parties also cooperate and do not engage in a "political game of provocations", very soon there will be complete normalcy in the state.
"As far as sporadic incidents like firing from across the border or terror incidents in the Valley are concerned, the recalcitrant neighbour that we have, it will continue to try and foment trouble here, but our security forces will ensure that the games that are being played from across the border will not be allowed to succeed," he said.
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Condemning the attack in Tral today, Madhav termed it unfortunate and said the security forces will take measures to stop such sporadic incidents.
The BJP leader said the problem of militancy seems to be on decline in the Valley due to the efforts made by the state government and the central forces.
The people of the state have suffered enough and now it is time that development becomes the focus.
"Our government, together, we will focus on development over the next two to next three years," he said.
Asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Kashmir, during his Independence Day speech, would be the way forward, Madhav said the BJP is committed to giving good governance to the people.
On the Rohingya issue, Madhav said it will be handled keeping the security concerns of the country in mind.
"Rohingya issue is right now before the Supreme Court. The Government of India has said that this issue will be handled keeping the security concerns in mind. It will be dealt with from a security perspective also besides other issues," he said.
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Asked about the BJP's coalition partner PDP's stand that the Rohingya issue should be dealt humanely, he said the government also has to take care of the human rights and the humanitarian concerns of 125 crore Indians.
"That is why I said keeping the security, right to life and the humanitarian concerns of Indians, an appropriate decision will be taken on the issue," Madhav said.
The BJP general secretary is here to take stock of the party affairs in the state amid reports that the party's top brass and workers were not happy with the functioning of some of its ministers.
"Our workers have vowed to make the party stronger here and they feel that the BJP and PM Modi's leadership is drawing huge support from the state especially in the Valley," Madhav said.
(With agency inputs)
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