Sharad Yadav advises government to meet Hurriyat Conference

NEW DELHI: Aday after the all-party delegation visited Kashmir, senior Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said it’s going to be difficult to find a way forward without talking to Hurriyat Conference.

Yadav, who was a key member of the first NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, told ET that while the Modi government quotes former PM’s line on ‘Kashmiriyat, Insaaniyat, and Jammohriyat’, itsinterpretation is not the same.

“Atalji’s government spoke with the Hurriyat. There were many meetings with them. Even now the BJP in its agreed agenda of governance with the PDP has highlighted this part but is not moving on it. They have agreed to talk to all political groups and that has to include the Hurriyat as well,” said Yadav.

Yadav, who was was part of the delegation but peeled away to meet Hurriyat leaders with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, said he was not very disappointed that Syed Ali Shah Geelani had turned them away from his doorstep. “Yes, it wasn’t right of him to do so because after all, we are speaking up for them,” he said.