J&K violence: PM to hold all party meet

NEW DELHI: As violence continue unabated in Jammu as well as Kashmir Valley, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet top leaders of political parties on Wednesday to discuss measures to calm the situation in the state and seek a consensus on how to end the impasse.

The Centre is groping in the dark on how to calm the waves of violence that continue to rock Jammu over cancellation of the land allocation for Amarnath pilgrims, with reports of angry mobs lynching two cops at Jourian near Akhnoor on Tuesday.

Apart from national political parties, all regional parties, including National Conference and People's Democratic Party, have been invited to the meeting.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP chief Rajnath Singh and top leaders of Left parties leaders are expected to attend the meeting.

Ahead of Wednesday's meeting, the Prime Minister and the Congress president sought the opinion of Leader of Opposition L K Advani on the issue.

Singh and Gandhi, along with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had a discussion with Advani on the issue during the state dinner hosted for visiting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

Advani reportedly told the three leaders that the current situation was a result of "government's pandering to the separatist forces".

Advani had suggested that government should convene a special session of Parliament to discuss, among other issues, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Congress accused BJP of being responsible for the continued violence in Jammu.

Asked if he was specifically blaming BJP for the row, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said "yes", adding, "if the BJP is a responsible national party, they should try and understand what the implications are for India".

BJP said a solution to the Amarnath land row was possible only if the Centre holds a direct talk with the protesters.

Sangharsh Samiti not invited to all-party meeting

Interestingly, Shri Amaranth Sangharsh Samiti - a conglomeration of over 35 political and other parties - spearheading ongoing agitation in Jammu over the Amarnath land issue, has said it has not been invited to the all party talks on the issue in the Capital.

"We have not received any invitation from Prime Minister's office to attend the meeting," convenor Leela Karan Sharma said on Tuesday night.

Asked his reaction about the meeting, he said "people of Jammu are the party affected represented by SASS, but we have not been invited and as such the question of presenting our views in the meeting does not arise."

Over a dozen policemen were injured, a police post and government buildings were set ablaze and a railway track was uprooted as violence escalated in Jammu on Tuesday.

At least 14 people have been killed in both the regions, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, of the state since May 26 when the government first ordered diversion of the land to the SASB.