Opposition making effort to build national consensus on Kashmir: Tarigami

After the delegation of leaders of opposition parties from Jammu and Kashmir held a meeting with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and apprised him of the restive situation in the Valley, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI-M today said that political problems needs to be addressed through political means so that a national consensus could emerge.

CPM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami said the delegation of opposition parties are in Delhi for the last two days to meet national leaders .

"We met President of India, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, and tomorrow we are meeting the Prime Minister," said Tarigami , adding "The purpose is to apprise the national political leaders about the grave situation which we are facing in Jammu and Kashmir."

"We have expressed our concern and appealed to the national leadership, including Mr. Rahul Gandhi, so that they use their influence and help in building a national consensus and a common approach is formed in addressing the issues of this present unrest," Tarigami added.

"In our opinion, it is essentially a political unrest and a political problem, which needs to be addressed through political means ," he said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah led a delegation of members of opposition parties and submitted a memorandum to the President . Omar said this is the first time in his memory that initiatives that should have been taken by the government are actually being taken by the opposition.

"This afternoon a delegation of opposition parties that had previously met in Srinagar, called on his Excellency the President to present him a memorandum and to apprise him of the situation currently prevailing, particularly in the Kashmir Valley, but also showing signs of spreading to Pir Punjal, Chenab Valley region of Jammu and Kargil part of Ladakh as well," he said.