The Hindu : National : Centre willing to give more time to Hurriyat: Patil

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Monday, Feb 07, 2005

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Centre willing to give more time to Hurriyat: Patil

DEHRA DUN, FEB. 6. The Centre today indicated that it was willing to give more time to the Hurriyat Conference to respond to its offer for dialogue.

Replying to questions on Kashmir, the Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, told reporters here that the Centre was in the process of dialogue with every section of society such as intellectuals, traders, industrialists and lawyers. Asked whether the Centre would hold a fresh dialogue with the Hurriyat, he said "anybody who is willing to talk to us is welcome. If they feel they need more time, we will not object to it."

Unified command

Mr. Patil made it clear that the Unified Command to deal with insurgency or naxal violence would not be set up in every State. Though the functioning of the Unified Command was "effective," the Centre was not planning to establish it in each and every State, said Mr. Patil.

"The Unified Command is functioning effectively in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Manipur. But it does not mean that it would be created in each and every State. Wherever it is necessary, it would be created."

Mr. Patil parried questions on the fate of the India-Pakistan cricket match to be held in Ahmedabad, saying the Sports Ministry would answer it.

Maoist insurgency

Mr. Patil said the Maoist insurgency in Nepal might spill over to bordering Indian States and the Centre was taking steps to cope with it.

Asked whether India would intervene in the political crisis in Nepal emanating out of the dismissal of the Sher Bahadur Deuba Government by King Gyanendra, Mr. Patil said "this question relates to the External Affairs Ministry."

Mr. Patil, who attended a function of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, said the Centre was raising funds to deal with all types of problems including Maoist menace. — PTI

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