Yashwant Sinha in Kashmir, says will try to meet Farooq

Srinagar, Nov 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Friday said he spoke to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah who has been detained in his house in Srinagar after the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.

"I spoke to Farooq Abdullah on phone," Sinha said. "He is in high spirits. We are now seeking a meeting with him."

Former Foreign Minister Sinha, who is part of a five-member group including Wajahat Habibullah, Bharat Bhushan, Sushoba Bharve and Kapil Kak, said he told Abdullah that they will seek a meeting with him from the authorities and if they are allowed they will meet him otherwise they would just wave at him from outside his residence.

He said he also spoke to CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami.

Sinha said they will also try to talk to former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

On Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that not a single bullet has been fired in Kashmir since August 5, Sinha said the credit for that goes to the people of Kashmir and not the government or the security forces.

He refuted Shah's claim that the situation in Kashmir is normal.

"It is the death of expectations," he said. "The situation is far from normal as all the shops are closed, how can you say this is normal?"

He said they will contact more people in Kashmir before heading back to Delhi on November 25.

Sinha said he was barred from visiting Kashmir in September and sent back from the airport. Earlier, he met members of Chamber of Commerce and traders in Kashmir at a hotel here.

Source: IANS