Addressing the Kashmir crisis, the government on Friday told the Apex Court that it was ready to talk to only accepted political parties in Jammu and Kashmir but not with the separatists.
It was clearly expressed by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that the government will only negotiate or go into dialogue with only the recognized parties of the state and not the separatist elements. He made the submissions before a bench, comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul as he refused the claim made by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association that the Centre was not coming forward for discussion and dialogue to resolve the crisis.
Rohatgi said that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of the state held a meeting to discuss the situation recently; while the bench asked the Association to come with suggestions to resolve the violent crisis on the streets of the Kashmir Valley.
Supreme Court, however, made it clear to the attorney’s body that it would have to come out with suggestions only after talking to all stakeholders and cannot shy away from saying that they do not represent everybody in Kashmir. It said there was a need for a positive start and the bar body could help restore normalcy in the Valley.
“If you feel the court has no role and if you feel we have no jurisdiction, we will close the file at this moment,” the bench told the AG who after it objected to some of the suggestions made by the bar body. The court also suggested that both parties should take joint measures to address the problem.
The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association against the High Court order seeking a stay on the use of pellet guns as a large number of people had been killed or injured due to their use.
