Govt open to dialogue with all groups in Kashmir: PM

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) Reiterating his Government's openness to dialogue with Kashmiri leaders of all hues, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today declared that violence would be dealt with a firm hand.

''We are open to talks with leaders from Kashmir inside and outside the political spectrum... but violence will not be tolerated....'' In fact, the Prime Minister observed that violence had come down in the Kashmir Valley following the peace dialogue with Pakistan.

Replying to the three-daylong debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, the Prime Minister said violence elsewhere in the country would also be dealt with accordingly.

Referring to Naxal violence in some parts, he said the problem shall be tackled both on the law and order front as well as the social aspect. Such issues need to be dealt at the root cause which is more often socio-economic, he observed.

On the country's foreign policy, the Prime Minister said it continued to be guided by National Consensus and remained dynamic in line with the need of the times.

National interests in line with changing international scenarios continued to guide it dynamically and India followed no camp, the Prime Minister declared.

UNI PC/DG RP BD2012