Cong cautions Centre, says Hurriyat and deep state in Pak are "Siamese twins"

With Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin threatening to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, who would turn the valley into "a graveyard for Indian forces", the Congress on Sunday said it is important for the Indian state to understand that an engagement with the Hurriyat if at all contemplated does entail or does necessitate an engagement with Pakistan also.

Congress leader Manish Tewari said the Hizbul Mujahideen is a puppet of Pakistan essentially what Syed Salauddin has been made to say by his puppeteers in Pakistan is that the Hurriyat and the deep state in Pakistan are Siamese twins.

"They are two sides of the same coin by being belligerent on Pakistan and trying to soft on the Hurriyat is something, which the Pakistanis through Syed Salauddin are making clear it is not going to work," he added.

Dismissing talks as futile, Salahuddin in an interview with a leading English daily insisted that there was no solution to Kashmir except militancy. He also vowed to block any peaceful political resolution to the Kashmir conflict.

The Congress leader, however, welcomed the Centre's initiative to send an all-party delegation to Kashmir and expressed hope that they are successful in building an emotional connect with the people in the valley.

"Well, it's a welcome initiative the all-party delegation is intending to reach out and have an emotional connect with the people of Kashmir," Tewari told ANI.

"So, therefore, under those circumstances, we do hope that something positive comes out of the whole process," he added.

Commenting on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's move to invite the separatists for talks along with the all-party delegation to resolve the conflict in the valley, Tewari said, "If the Centre agrees to what Mehbooba is saying this means you will have to talk continuously and concurrently with both Hurriyat and Pakistan."

Mehbooba has written to the separatist leadership requesting them to "take a lead and engage" with the delegation, "which will be the start of a credible and meaningful political dialogue and resolution process."

Expressing hope that the separatists would accept her offer, she wrote: "My party has always believed that the Hurriyat Conference is a stakeholder in the peace... and prosperity of the state."

Meanwhile, an all-party delegation, led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, arrived in Srinagar today for an assessment of the situation due to the unrest in the valley.

During the two-day visit, the delegation will interact with Governor N.N. Vohra and the Chief Minister besides holding meetings with the representatives of all political parties and others.

Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mjahideen commander Burhan Wani on July with curfew continuing in parts of the valley for the 58th day today.