Meeting between Aziz, Hurriyat evokes sharp reactions

The meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor Sartaj Aziz and Kashmiri separatists drew mixed reactions today, with BJP saying government is committing a diplomatic blunder while the UPA dispensation said it is not making any compromises.
BJP president Rajnath Singh said the government has committed a "diplomatic blunder" by allowing Aziz to meet Kashmiri separatists on Indian soil and demanded the talks be stopped.
"By allowing Sartaj Aziz to hold talks with Kashmiri separatists the UPA government has committed another diplomatic blunder with serious costs to national security and national interest," Singh said in a statement.
Noting that Kashmir issue is India's internal matter and it should be resolved through a home grown solution, the BJP leader said Pakistan has been trying hard to internationalise the Kashmir issue for many years. He pointed out that Kashmir issue was recently raised once again at the UN General Assembly meeting this year by Pakistan.

Government, however, maintained it is not comprising on the issue, and Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said the democratic process has been in place in the state since 1996.
He maintained that the Hurriyat leaders- who are participating in these talks- should also rise to the expectations of the people.

"The Hurriyat should also introspect on this matter that if they are really representatives of the people then they must participate in the democratic process of the country. There have been three elections since 1996 and people have come out and voted. Hurriyat should be a part of this process," Tewari said.

Aziz said Pakistan is also trying to restore peace in the region.
Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wondered why this meeting is being seen as negative. "This is not for the first time that we have come to Delhi and we are meeting people here.
"We have always maintained that we seek cooperation between India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir and we do not want any confrontation," Farooq said.