RSS holds seminar on Jammu and Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Three weeks after Kashmir erupted violently over Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's killing in an encounter, BJP's parent organization, the RSS, in a first, began a public debate on Kashmir, roping in BJP and PDP coalition officials as well as representatives of the Union government to “to discuss, explore and think out-of-the-box for ensuring peace“ in the valley.
RSS affiliate Vishwagram laun ched the two-day international symposium at the sprawling Indian Institute of Mass Communication campus, cheek by jowl with JNU. The RSS called the seminar a “historic event“ to brainstorm on how “India could stay together“.
In an introspec tive document, the organisers asked whether they need to “engage more people in our dialogue for peace which probably has remained confined to limited boundaries?“ Emphasising that the RSS is com mitted to peace in Kashmir, saffron ideologue Indresh Kumar hit out at Pakistan and home-grown intellectuals for supporting Kashmir's “azadi“ (secession) from the country . An old hand in Kashmir affairs within the RSS, Kumar attributed the ongoing violent protests in the valley to Pakistan's machinations and a fringe of “misled“ Kashmiri population.
Kumar claimed that the “silent and intimidated majority in Kashmir are nationalistic and patriotic Indians“. Reaching out to them, he said, “They don't have a voice but they are there. They are mainstream Kashmiri Muslims who are as patriotic as any other Indian. The whole of India belongs to Kashmiri Muslims and they belong to us. Their voices need to be strengthened.“
Those demanding Kashmir plebiscite under the UN resolutions were being dishonest, he said. “It's Pakistan that had to withdraw from POK before a plebiscite could be held. But is Pakistan prepared for that? It is not,“ Kumar said.
J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and her education minister Naeem Akhtar along with union MoS Home Kiren Rijju, MoS external affairs MJ Akbar and others are scheduled to speak on Saturday.