The Centre seems to be trying to distance itself from the visit of a civil society group to Kashmir Valley to meet separatists apparently to end the three-month long unrest with a senior official pleading ignorance about the exercise.
A top Home Ministry official said the five-member civil society delegation led by senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha was touring the Kashmir Valley on its own wisdom and the Central government has nothing to do with it.
The delegation has not informed the Central government about its visit and it has nothing to do with their initiative, the official said.
The delegation led by Sinha called on hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his residence in Srinagar today.
Before meeting Geelani, Sinha told reporters that they had not come as a delegation.
Asked if the team will be meeting other separatist leaders like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, Sinha said they are trying to meet everyone.
Geelani had refused to meet a few MPs, part of an all party delegation visiting Kashmir, last month.
The team led by Sinha is attempting to break the three-month impasse in Kashmir triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July.
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