New Delhi, March 26
The crucial second round of talks between Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and Hurriyat Conference leaders are scheduled here tomorrow in which the Centre is expected to seek Hurriyat’s cooperation in the smooth conduct of the coming Lok Sabha polls in the valley.
Mr Advani, who concluded the first phase of his 4,125-km Bharat Uday Yatra at Amritsar today, will ask the separatist amalgam to play a “positive role” during the coming Lok Sabha poll in the state by “influencing elements opposed to the democratic process”, sources said.
He is also likely to impress upon the Hurriyat leaders on the need for the continuation of dialogue and assure them of stringent action against anyone involved in human rights violation.
On the other hand, the Hurriyat leaders are expected to forcefully take up alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and pinpoint certain incidents like the Tral incident in which a youth was allegedly killed in custody and also release of political prisoners, Hurriyat sources said.
The first round of “historic and path-breaking” talks between Mr Advani and a five-member Hurriyat delegation was held here on January 22.
Significantly, Mr Advani yesterday in Chandigarh, expressed optimism about the talks with the Hurriyat Conference.
“One needs to be optimist while going for a dialogue,” he said in response to a question about the “blow hot and blow cold” attitude of the separatist conglomerate.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the first round of talks with the Hurriyat leaders removed their doubts and misgivings.
At the talks tomorrow, the Hurriyat will be represented by Chairman Ansari (Itehad-ul-Muslimeen), Mirwaiz Omar Farooq (Awami Action Committee), Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat (Muslim Conference) and Bilal Ghani Lone (People’s Conference).
