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No talks with Arun Jaitley: Sayeed

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Thursday rejected talks with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley, who had held preliminary talks with the Farooq Abdullah government on autonomy.

Sayeed suggested an early resumption of dialogue between the Centre and the elected representatives of the state.

Sayeed brushed aside the autonomy plan saying, "Restricting the talks to restoration of autonomy would be like putting the cart before the horse."

"The Government of India and not Arun Jaitley will talk to us," Sayeed said winding up the debate on a motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the Legislative Council.

He said going back to the pre-1953 status for the state as envisaged in the autonomy resolution, which was passed by the previous state assembly, but summarily rejected by the Centre, was neither the plank of the Abdullah government in 1980 nor did it find mention in the Indira Gandhi-Sheikh Abdullah accord of 1975.

The dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir has to be on a "broader sphere and not on party nominee level", the chief minister said, urging the Centre for giving it an early push with the representatives elected to the assembly in the "fairest possible transparent" manner.

Referring to the release of political prisoners, which has come under attack from the Centre, he said his government had the mandate of the people to deliver and it was not irresponsible.

Pointing out that the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik addressed several public rallies after his recent release, Mufti said the political process in the state would help restore peace and "make our job easy".

"Why should we jail our own people," he asked, calling for united efforts to put the state on the path of reconstruction and development.

Insisting that the problems in the state have to be tackled politically as use of force generates adverse reaction, he said even after killing of hundreds of people, including innocents in encounters, the problem could not be tackled.

Suggesting reforms in the police force to make it "people friendly" he said, a police commission would be set up.

On disbanding of the controversial Special Operations Group, he said, "It was being felt that by assisting in the nabbing of one militant, they were creating ten terrorists."

SOG's assimilation with the police force would enable the surrendered militants to get better perks and service conditions, vital for their discipline.

While asserting that he wanted militancy to be tackled firmly, he said unnecessary harassment to civilians and human rights violations would not be tolerated.

He lauded the role of army in defending the borders but said that it was quite different and difficult for them to handle the internal situations.

Rejecting the demand for trifurcation, he said it was against the very basis of the instrument of accession.

Defending his government's "healing touch" policy, Sayeed said his government would strive to check people's alienation through transparent and good governance.

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