Separatists reject Mehbooba’s talks offer

Srinagar, Sep 4 (PTI) Separatists today rejected ChiefMinister Mehbooba Mufti’s invitation to them for meeting withall-party delegation, terming such a measure as "deceitful"and insisting that it cannot be an alternative to a"transparent agenda-based dialogue to address the core issue". A day after Mehbooba invited separatists in her capacityas PDP chief, separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (both of separate Hurriyat Conferencefactions) and Yasin Malik (of JKLF) issued a joint statementhere, rubbishing her and her offer. "These deceitful methods of crisis management throughParliamentary delegations and Track-Two only prolong thesufferings of the people and can`t take the place of a genuinetransparent agenda-based dialogue to address the core issue ofthe peoples’ right to self-determination in J-K. "That has been our consistent stand and has been spelledout recently as well in our letters to various internationaland global fora," the statement said. While making it clear that they were not interested inmeeting the delegation led by union Home Minister RajnathSingh, the separatist leaders said one "fails to understand"what hope to attach with a delegation which has not "spelledout its mandate for any engagement on a clear agenda". They alleged, "In politics, India has deployed deceit,double talk, themselves and through their quislings,continuously for the past 70 years." Given this situation, it is "not surprising that even nowher (MehboobaÂ’s) dominant concern, as expressed in her letter,is to ‘lend credence and credibilityÂ’ to the IndianParliamentary delegation visiting Kashmir avowedly toascertain wishes of the people." Commenting on Mehbooba "outburst" during a pressconference with Rajnath Singh recently, the separatists said"that seemed to even embarrass" the union minister. PTI SSB RTAKKAKK