Dialogue with separatists: ‘Does it mean Atalji was anti-national?’ asks Yashwant Sinha

BJP's Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said that there was a trust deficit between India and Pakistan.

New Delhi, April 12: Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday once again stressed on the need to start a dialogue with the separatists in Jammu and Kashmir to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state.

"These days, if you talk of dialogue with separatists, then you are called an anti-national. Does it mean Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) was an anti-national?" Sinha was quoted as saying by ANI.

The former Prime Minister Vajpayee strongly supported talks between all the stakeholders, including Pakistan and separatists, to resolve the Kashmir problem. Sinha, who is also a pro-talk member, says that Pakistan is in denial mode. "For 70 years, relations have not improved. It's due to trust deficit. As long as Pakistan remains in denial, talks have no meaning," Sinha said.

Regarding the recent controversial remark made by Farooq Abdullah on stone pelters, calling them nationalists, Sinha said, "Abdullah has always been a nationalist. The bypoll campaign was on so I don't know in what context he made recent comments."

The senior BJP leader had led delegations of civil society members twice to hold talks with separatists and other stakeholders in Kashmir in the follow up of the anti-India protests in Kashmir post Burhan Wani killing last year.

The former Indian foreign minister has called for an inquiry into the circumstances under which the byelection was conducted in Srinagar-Budgam parliament constituency on April 9.

In an article on NDTV website, Sinha wrote that the circumstances under which the Election Commission went ahead with the conduct of this election should be subject of an enquiry.

He said that fortunately, good sense prevailed and the Anantnag bypoll has been postponed. "Such elections can only lead to loss of face for us before the world community. My appeal to the Election Commission is to countermand the Srinagar byelection and hold fresh elections for that seat also as and when the situation returns to normal."

OneIndia News