New Delhi: The Government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it is ready to discuss the issue of escalating violence in the Jammu and Kashmir with recognized political parties but made it clear that it will not negotiate with separatists.
As per reports, the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi made it clear that the government would negotiate the issue only if recognized political parties partake in the discussion and not the separatist who have been responsible for harbouring tension in the region.
Rohatgi made his submissions before a bench comprised of Chief Justice of India J S Khehar and two other justices, apart from rubbishing the claims of the Jammu and Kashmir HC Bar Association’s allegation that the Centre was not coming forward for further discussion on the issue.
The SC bench subsequently questioned the Jammu and Kashmir HC Bar to come up with suggestions to resolve the crisis, which included stone-pelting and violent agitation on the streets of the Valley.
“If you (in view of the Kashmir issue) throw stones, close schools, how will talks happen in Kashmir?” the SC bench asked J&K SC Bar Association.
Replying to a petition to stop the use of pellet guns in the Valley, the SC bench said it can direct the Centre against the use of pellet guns but, in return, would the petition be able to guarantee that there will be no stone-pelting in the region?
“How can discussion take place when roads are blocked and stones are pelted?” it asked.
It said there was need for a positive start and the bar body could play an important role by coming out with a gameplan and a roadmap for restoring normalcy in the Valley. The bench also made it clear to the Centre that the court would involve itself in the matter only if there was a view that it can play a role and there was no jurisdictional issue.
"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, at the fag end of the hearing, objected to some of the suggestions made by the bar body including that the separatists were being ignored.
The bench also said both the parties have to take a joint step but the first step has to come from the lawyers' body which has approached the apex court.
It also said it was aware that the situation in Kashmir Valley was not very palatable, while posting the matter for further hearing on May 9.
The apex court was hearing hearing an appeal filed by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association against the High Court order seeking stay on the use of pellet guns as a large number of people had been killed or injured due to their use.
During the last hearing on April 10, the Centre had told the Supreme Court it was exploring a crowd control option that is akin to rubber bullets but not as lethal as pellet guns that are being used currently as a last resort to quell violence in the Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had on September 22 rejected the plea seeking a ban on use of pellet guns on the ground that the Centre had already constituted a Committee of Experts through its memorandum of July 26, 2016 for exploring alternatives to pellet guns.
Over the past few months, there has been a significant increase in violence in the region. Several terror groups including foreign militants have been identified in the Valley, apart from the separatist who have worsened the situation in the Valley.
Not only the armed forces but the numbers of civilian casualties in the region have skyrocketed since the death of popular Hizbul commandar Burhan Wani, who was encountered by the armed forces in a anti-terror operations.
The PDP-BJP alliance has failed to strike the balance required to maintain peace in the Valley, and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, despite her innumerable efforts, has not managed to curb violence in the conflict-trodden Jammu and Kashmir. (TIMES NOW)
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