Will reach out to all stakeholders before initiating activities of policy planning group: Karra

Srinagar, Apr 25: Senior Congress leader and former Member of Parliament Tariq Hameed Karra Tuesday said that he would reach out to the stakeholders including Hurriyat leaders before initiating the activities of the newly constituted policy planning group for Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to KNS over phone from New Delhi, Karra said that it would take a month more to start the activities of the group but before that he would try to reach out to the stakeholders including Hurriyat leaders, civil society, intellectuals, minority and others to take their viewpoint.
“I have urged the party high command to hold a first formal meeting of the group in Kashmir, which they agreed. I am going to meet all the members of the newly constituted group and hopefully, the activities of the group will start in the coming month,” he added.
Karra said that they will work from two levels: One has been constituted by the party high command while the second sub-group will be constituted in each district of Jammu and Kashmir state, which will talk to the people of every section and the same will be presented before the party high command.
“I am seeking that Congress should make the permanent policy regarding Kashmir whether in power or in the opposition,” he told Kashmir News Service (KNS), adding, “People might have lost hope keeping in view of the previous committees but those committees were formed by the Government of India and this particular group has been constituted by the political party on their personal capacity.”
He said that the group would try to talk with the government as well to see their viewpoint regarding the issues pertaining to the Kashmiris. “We will work from the ground level,” he said.
Meanwhile, Karra held two separate meetings with the group chairman and former prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and the party vice president, Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. In the meetings, the future strategy and future course was discussed between the leaders. Karra is scheduled to meet the other members of the group in upcoming days. (KNS)