Strange that India is taking a Pak-like stand by telling it not to meet Hurriyat leaders, says Farooq Abdullah

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday questioned the NDA Government on its decision to caution Pakistan not to have a meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders in New Delhi on August 23.

He described as very strange the decision of the Ministry of External Affairs to issue such a terse statement to Islamabad on the eve of talks at the National Security Advisors' level, and added that the Hurriyat was nothing but a mouthpiece of the Pakistan Government.

"It is the talk between National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan on terrorism. This was fixed when the two Prime Ministers met in Moscow. Now, the tragedy is that they invited Hurriyat, which they always do. There is nothing new. Every time a leader or a Prime Minister comes from Pakistan, they have such meetings. "

"Hurriyat has been part of Pakistan's mouthpiece for a long time ever since it was made. Strangely now, they (MEA) are restricting the Hurriyat from meeting them and Pakistan is making it a major issue like they made a major issue of Kashmir Speaker not coming to the Commonwealth Conference," Abdullah stated further.

"Now, India is taking a similar stand, that either you talk to us, or there is not going to be any talk. Otherwise, what is the Hurriyat going to gain from the one-hour talk? Our people are still dying on both sides of the border. Shelling is taking place. I went myself and saw the destruction in those areas. We want peace and for so many years we have been begging for peace. That peace seems to elude us," Abdullah said.

"Tragedy is because Hurriyat should have had that sense that if India is going to do this thing. They should say alright we are not going to go, we want the talks to succeed and therefore, we'll stay here and let the talks take place," the National Conference leader said.

"Sartaj Aziz can come anytime in future only to talk to them. I am sure India will not mind.