Owaisi asks government to initiate dialogue on Kashmir

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said the central government should immediately initiate a dialogue to restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Voicing concern over the situation in Kashmir where curfew continued for the 50th day on Saturday, the Hyderabad MP said if no initiative was taken now there may be nobody with whom the government can have a dialogue as political parties were losing space.

"Experts say the Peoples Democratic Party and the National Conference are losing political space while separatists are also losing ground," Owaisi told reporters.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President said: "we are entering a domain of uncertainty."

He quoted a former R&AW chief as saying that South Kashmir is becoming a liberated zone.

The MP said the government has many means and sources at its disposal to initiate a dialogue. "It's time the government thinkS seriously about this," he added.

He pointed out that the agenda of the PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir says that they want to have a dialogue with all, including the separatists.

Owaisi also welcomed the agreement signed by Telangana with Maharashtra earlier this week for constructing three barrages for utilisation of Godavari river water.

He termed this as a historic agreement as Telangana can use 250 TMC water to irrigate 39 lakh hectares in seven districts.

The MP said the Pranahita Chevella project will help meet future drinking water requirements of Hyderabad and will also ensure additional supplies to existing projects.

Owaisi hit out at the opposition Congress party for politicising the issue by opposing the agreement. He said the Congress, which was in power in both the states and at the Centre from 2004 to 2014, failed to solve the inter-state problems.

He claimed that Telangana will be benefited by the agreement as the projects will become a reality by 2019.

Owaisi said instead of opposing the agreement for political reasons, opposition parties should mount pressure on the TRS government to fulfil its promise to complete the projects by 2019.

--IANS

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