KASHMIR-CONGRESS 2 LAST

"This happened around July 9 and on July 18, I sought a "This happened around July 9 and on July 18, I sought adiscussion in the Rajya Sabha and chairman was kind enough toallow the full day discussion and it was at that point oftime, I along with all opposition leaders, requested thegovernment that some dialogue process should start and PrimeMinister should chair an all-party meeting and all-partydelegation should go to Kashmir," Azad said. "Had the government of India acceded to our request onJuly 18, things would have improved much earlier. May be thecurfew which has been lifted after 51 or 52 days, in that casethe curfew would have been lifted on 15th or 16th day afterthe entire episode took place," he said. The government of the day did not rise to the occasion, itdid not wake up, he alleged. Meanwhile, Azad said a permanent solution to the issuewithin the framework of the Constitution should be found byholding a dialogue. "I understand that this time the government, all politicalparties and the people and political parties of Kashmirwhether mainstream or non-mainstream or other stakeholders,should hold a dialogue and find a permanent solution to itunder the ambit of Indian Constitution," he said. Azad said the BJP could find a better solution to theissue as the entire opposition, including his party, wouldsupport the government in such an endeavour. "I think the BJP can find a much better solution becauseduring the time of (former PMs) Jawaharlal Nehru, IndiraGandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, whenever we gave a proposal to findout a solution, we faced the maximum opposition from the BJP. "They would tell us that we wanted to appease theminorities and the Kashmiris and they would level politicalallegations against us. Now, they are in power at the centreas well as in the state and they should find a solution andCongress and the opposition will always be with them infinding a solution," he said. PTI SSB MIJ MRJ ZMNMRJ