Like Mufti, Yashwant Sinha rejects Centre’s ‘muscular policy’ on Kashmir; supports talks with Pak

On Wednesday, Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after President Ramnath Kovind gave his approval for it.

New Delhi, June 20: On Tuesday, when the BJP-PDP alliance government ended in Jammu and Kashmir, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha spoke against the Centre's "muscular policy" on Kashmir at an event in the national capital.

Just hours after the BJP dumped the PDP in the terror-ravaged state, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also stated that muscular policy won't work as it is not an "enemy" territory.

In his fierce attack against the ruling BJP, the former party leader said a "muscular policy" on Kashmir is a brainless one as muscles do not have brain.

Speaking at an event to launch a book, written jointly by former chiefs of intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan--AS Dulat and Asad Durrani respectively besides author Aditya Sinha--he suggested India must talk to Pakistan in order to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Referring to recent media reports, Sinha said Indian media says Pakistani Rangers are pleading for mercy now.

"And the next day the Rangers started bombarding and shelling and all. And so much damage had been done to that entire area. What is this 'moonhtod Jawab' (befitting reply)? And with all due respect, a muscular policy is bound to be a brainless policy because muscles don't have brain," he said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday said that the Pakistan Rangers had "pleaded" with them to stop firing along the International Border (IB) after being pounded with heavy artillery that also left a trooper dead across the border. Sinha said Pakistan has to be brought in (to resolve Kashmir issue).

"There are voices coming from deep state, now not only in the media but I am aware they are also one on one, which I would say are quiet friendly and they create a hope. Now, we should respond to those overtures from the deep state in Pakistan in a positive way so that if we can find a way through minefield we should discover that way," he said.

Sinha, who has been actively involved in resolving issue of militancy and stone pelting among others in Kashmir, said dialogue should begin at two levels.

"The problem is we rush into the summit. Summit raises euphoria and when that euphoria is not met there is a disappointment and that is regarded as a failure. So let us not begin at the summit level. There are a whole lot of levels including that of spy masters," he suggested.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who also attended the event, emphasised on ways to finding solution to the 70-year-old problem.

"Ek taraf se to wo maar rahe hain, dusre taraf se aap mar rahe hain, bataiye ham jaye to jaye kahan (from one side they are killing us and from another side you are killing us. Tell us where do we go?)," Abdullah asked. He said "nothing has moved forward" in resolving the crises.

"I recommend one (thing). The time has come. Let us forget the past. Let us forget the past bitterness and let us learn that we have to live with Pakistan," Abdullah said.

Both Sinha and Abdullah released the book, "The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace", along with former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former vice president Hamid Ansari, Sinha, Congress leader Kapil Sibal, Dulat and a few others at a function organised in the national capital.

On Wednesday, Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after President Ramnath Kovind gave his approval for it.