Kashmir impasse: Advani meets PM,asks for central intervention

L K Advani led a delegation of party legislators from Jammu and Kashmir met Prime Minister.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani led a delegation of party legislators from Jammu and Kashmir met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday to discuss the disturbing situation in the Valley and demanded that the Centre intervene to restore normalcy.

The delegation expressed its opposition to the proposed political package for the state which was discussed between the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

A BJP leader said: It would be akin to rewarding the separatists and those creating trouble in the state.

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The delegation included BJP MLAs from the state,Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart in the Upper House,Arun Jaitley.

The MLAs and the Central leaders of the party also emphasised the need for keeping up the morale of the security forces,including the paramilitary.

The party is opposed to cutting down the strength of the Army in the Valley and welcomed the deployment of 20,000 more troops in the state.

The Prime Minister promised to look into their demands and suggestions.

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The BJP has also asked the government to hold a discussion on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and has decided to field senior party leader M M Joshi to initiate the debate on behalf of the party.

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