TIL Desk/National/Jammu/ National Conference working president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said Kashmir is a “political issue” and needs a “political solution” for heralding lasting peace in the state. “For arriving at a solution, New Delhi must open channels of dialogue with all stakeholders,” he said while addressing a public rally in Doda today.
Referring to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s claim that demonetisation had a positive impact on the Kashmir situation, Abdullah said, “Instead of continuing to invest in delusions and deflections, there is a need to understand real issues so that a solution can be worked out.”
About the “alarming” situation in Kashmir for the past over four months he said, “The issues involved are beyond economics or law and order. Therefore New Delhi must take political initiatives for resolving these.” Abdullah alleged the “contradictions and opportunism” of the ruling PDP-BJP alliance are at the root of the turmoil in the Valley.
He claimed that NC has made a “sincere and honest bid” to end people’s miseries and defuse the situation by meeting the President, the Prime Minister and the opposition leaders in the national capital.