SRINAGAR:A joint delegation led by former state Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, held discussions with Union Home Minister B.Chavan on the Center’s move to initiate the political process in the State.

This is a follow-up of Dr. Abdullah’s meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi recently.

The delegation included Ghulam Rasool Kar, a senior minister in the former National Conference Congress-I coalition government headed by Dr. Abdullah.

Other members of the delegation were Likar Ansari (Congress-I) M.A. Abdullah Quayum (Janata Dal) G.M.Bhan (Janata Party) and M.Y.Farig Anwar (CPM).

The delegation is understood to have agreed with the Center’s view that the political process should be initiated for the restoration of normalcy in the state.

Dr. Abdullah reiterated his three preconditions for an active involvement in the process of normalization which he had placed before the Prime Minister,

He is also understood to have told the home minister that the involment of youth in this process was a must.

Earlier, Chavan told newsmen that some sort of political process had to be set in motion In this connection he called upon the representatives of all political parties and eminent persons to assist the Center in its effort.

We have to decide as to whether to being with it is better to go in for local bodies election to gauge the response of the people,” he said after a meeting with a section of the people on this three-day visit to Kashmir.

Chavan’s scheduled visit to Uri had to be cancelled because of inclement weather,

The home minister made it clear that an administration run by officials was no substitute to a popular government. Answering questions on various problems facing the state, he said the militants had their orders to prevent restoration of any democratic process.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994