PDP should have participated in all-party meet,says Jaitley

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha,Arun Jaitley,said on Tuesday he felt the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Panthers’ Party should have participated in the all-party meet convened recently by the J&K government to discuss the situation in the Valley after civilians were killed in shootouts.

With BJP state general secretary Kamal Sharma,who recently lost his father,Jaitley said national interests should be above the party’s interests,because of which BJP attended the meet. Jaitley said: “PDP should have participated,because they have already run a coalition government along with the Congress in the past. It seems the Congress had failed to win their trust. The J&K government,too,has failed miserably,because of which the law and order has gone out of their hands in the Valley.” Accusing Pakistan of instigating the locals and supporting the separatist groups,he said the issue should be strongly taken up in the meeting to be held between the external affairs ministers of the two countries in Islamabad on July 15.

On his party’s alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab,Jaitley said two parties had a long association,which would continue in the coming years.