CPI (M) welcomes Centre's move to send all-party delegation to Kashmir

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], Aug. 30 (ANI): Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammed Salim has welcomed the Centre's decision to send an all-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Srinagar on September 4. "It's a welcome decision. A little late but the practical situation there also was not very conducive," he said. He said that his party has always demanded for peaceful political dialogue to solve the unrest and a ban on the use of pellet guns on protestors. "On July 12th and 13th when the Parliament first started to meet, the CPI (M) delegation along with me, Sitaram Yechury was also there and Yousuf Tarigami. We personally met Rajnath Singh and impressed upon him to first stop pellet guns and second that some message should be given, start political dialogue and third-reassure the Kashmiris that it's not only the land but the people also belong to India and then hold a all party meeting and send a all party delegation," he said. He said that dialogue will also be a fitting reply to those who are trying to play up the issue internationally. An all-party delegation led by Rajnath Singh is expected to interact with a cross section of people as part of efforts to bring peace in the Valley which has been witnessing unrest. The Home Minister had last week reviewed the situation in the valley with top BJP and government functionaries . On Sunday, he had a hour-long meeting with BJP President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and MoS for PMO Jitendra Singh and discussed with them the modalities of the all-party delegation. (ANI)