All party delegation members free to interact with anyone: Government

New Delhi, Aug 30  The members of the all-party delegation during their two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, beginning September 4, will be free to meet any leader or individual or groups "including separatists", the government said on Tuesday.

A formal decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting on Tuesday in the Union Home Ministry wherein Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the preparedness for all-party delegation visit and he was briefed by senior officials including from security agencies on various pros and cons of such meetings.

An all-party delegation comprising leaders from Congress, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Janata Dal-United, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party is likely to make a two-day tour to Jammu and Kashmir including the violence-hit valley region during which they will interact with a cross-section of people and attempt to herald an era of peace in the militancy-hit state.

The delegation would be led by Rajnath Singh.

Official sources, however, said during the visit, Rajnath Singh's meetings will be "restricted" and he is likely to interact with only those who are keen to discuss and help resolve all issues within the framework of the Constitution.

A decision has been taken also to brief Members of Parliament, who will be visiting the trouble-torn state.

"The members of all- party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, which is likely to include senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) and Sharad Yadav (JD-U) will be given a presentation on September 3 about the related pros and cons of the tour," a source said.

Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar and Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh are also expected at the presentation.

The visit of the all-party delegation to the valley is aimed at holding meetings with local leaders aiming to stop the unrest that was sparked off in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

According to sources, among others Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra are also likely to be part of the delegation.