SRINAGAR: Both the ruling PDP-BJP coalition led by chief minister Mehbooba
Mufti and the opposition in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recommended the Centre to consider a unilateral ceasefire against militants starting from Ramzan, this month till the end of Amarnath yatra and Eid in August.
The unanimous recommendation came after a four-hour-long all-party meeting headed by CM Mufti. The meeting was convened to discuss the security situation after a tourist from Chennai was killed in a stone-pelting attack in Srinagar on May 7.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mufti said, "Everyone (all parties) agreed that we should appeal to the Centre to consider a ceasefire, like the unilateral ceasefire in (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee's time in Ramzan (mid-May) till Amarnath yatra and Eid."
The Centre, the CM said, should “think on these lines so that the common people get some relief from the numerous difficulties they are facing due to encounters, crackdowns and search operations." She said such steps would restore the confidence of the people and help create a better atmosphere to celebrate Eid and hold the Amarnath pilgrimage.
Mufti said the meeting also suggested constitution of an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and urge him to reach out to people of Kashmir in light of his last Independence Day speech. Reiterating that the Agenda of Alliance (AoA) held the key to the problems and issues confronting the state, Mufti said the need of the hour was to go back to the document and seek its immediate implementation.
However, later talking to reporters, deputy chief minister, Kavinder Gupta (
BJP), said that ceasefire does not happen only from one side. “Guns should fall silent from both sides and not only for the month of Ramzan but once and for all,” he said contradicting chief minister Mufti.
PTI photo