Dr Farooq Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has decided not to attend the round table conference convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to be held in New Delhi next week.
Speaking to rediff.com Abdullah said that his party had given a comprehensive road map to the government of India but it has taken no action on it.
"I am not attending the so-called round table conference. I do not think they have anything to offer. Before they expect the political leaders to join the conference Dr Singh should spell out his point of view. We may have several such conferences but nothing concrete is going to emerge out of it," said Abdullah.
He and Omar Abdullah, president of the National Conference, had met home minister Shivraj Patil last year who had assured prompt and positive action on the autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. "Tall promises were made but what happened. The proposal was put into deep freezer," he said.
According to him the round table conference was being held only to show to the world that India was doing something because US President George Bush's visit was due in the first week of next month.
"Who do you think we are fooling? The Americans go to Kashmir every week and they know the ground realities. The government is merely trying to show that it is sincere about holding talks with the elected representatives in Jammu and Kashmir," he lamented.
He claimed that there was a major change in Pakistan's attitude on Kashmir and it was willing to shift its stand and try to resolve the Kashmir problem. "There is much talk by the government of India that they would not include the third party in the talks between India and Pakistan. If that is the case then why hold talks with the All Party Hurriyat Conference or invite Yasin Malik to meet the prime minister," he asked.
However, Omar Abdullah, told rediff.com that he would be attending the meeting on Feburary 25 and would like to ask a few pointed questions to the prime minister.
"It is not good to raise doubts about the meeting before it is held. I would certainly be attending it and place forward my party's stand on the subject," he said.
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