CPI (M) terms Centre's Kashmir policy 'complete failure'

The Kashmir policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government is a complete failure, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) alleged on Monday.

The Left party's allegation came after Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh here on Monday to chalk out a strategy to restore peace in Kashmir.

CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury alleged that "the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP entered into a thoroughly opportunistic and unholy alliance to form the state government and its result is what is happening in the valley".

Talking to ANI here, Yechury accused the Modi government of ignoring the two key recommendations made by the parliamentary delegation, which toured Kashmir in September 2016 on a peace-finding mission.

"The Modi government accepted key recommendations by the Home Minister Rajnath Singh led the parliamentary delegation, but didn't do anything. The delegation had suggested: the confidence building measures should be started immediately; the government should start the political process of talks with all the stakeholders," said Yechury.

If these steps are not taken then the situation in Kashmir will not improve, he added.

The Communist leader maintained that "the very low percentage of voting in the recently held by Kashmir by polls shows that there is a complete alienation of people of Jammu and Kashmir from the centre".