E-Paper
Modi treading path of Vajpayee on Pak, Kashmir: Heptulla
Pinning hope on the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, union minister for minority affairs Najma Heptulla on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "following the path of former Prime Minister Vajpayee on Kashmir and Pakistan."
Pinning hope on the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, union minister for minority affairs Najma Heptulla on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "following the path of former Prime Minister Vajpayee on Kashmir and Pakistan."
"The foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan would be able to break the ice. Our intention is good. The intention of our leader (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is good," said Heptulla in Srinagar after attending a 'peace conference' organised by the J-K Peace Foundation.
Referring to Vajpayee's legacy, who has acceptance even among the alienated population and separatists, Heptulla said, "No other prime minister in the world has travelled in a bus to other country with a message of friendship."
"Vajpayee went to Pakistan and offered a hand of friendship. Had Vajpayee won again in 2004 elections, the situation in Kashmir would have been different," she said.
Claiming that Modi was "treading the same path as Vajpayee", Heptulla said, "He already invited Pakistani prime minister for his oath ceremony. He wants to take along the neighbouring countries. There has been a forward movement from our side, but it takes two to tango."
Heptulla also called on chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday afternoon and discussed issues pertaining to the central schemes.
The focus of discussion remained on the Centrally-sponsored Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) and Scholarship Programme for the minorities in Jammu and Kashmir.
