March 28
The Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has claimed she can expeditiously solve the Kashmir problem, The Statesman reported.
Mamata spoke on her plans to solve the Kashmir issue during the release of her party’s manifesto.
In a clear evidence that she nurses national ambitions, Trinamool manifesto included promises on simplification of the GST, revival of the Planning Commission, resolving the Kashmir issue, and 200 days’ work with double the pay for MGNREGA workers.
On the Kashmir issue, Trinamool manifesto said “To restore peace in Kashmir, we will take the nation’s consent, trust and faith by our side. And we shall proceed towards a brighter future in this respect”.
“Send me to Kashmir. I will stay there for a few months and try to solve the problem,”Mamata said on her time bound plan to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Mamata claimed that her experience in tackling the Maoists menace in Junglemahal and the conflict in the Darjeeling hills provides her with the necessary experience to solve the Kashmir issue.
She said that after the regime change at centre, she will discuss her plan with the leaders of Mahagathbandhan and initiate a move to “resolve the Kashmir problem”.
“Peace and harmony should be restored in Kashmir at any cost. If the leaders want, they can send me to Kashmir. I don’t want any chair for that. I’ll stay in Kashmir for a few months and will try to end the impasse by taking women, youth and students into confidence,” she added.
When asked whether it was possible to restore peace in Kashmir valley, Mamata thundered “Nothing is impossible. If you have the political will, you can restore peace in the Valley”.
“People never believed that peace can return to Junglemahal. But I’ve taken the people into confidence, initiated different development projects and distributed rice at Rs 2 per kg through public distribution system. I restored peace in Junglemahal,” Miss Banerjee added
Mamata also claimed she volunteered to take charge during the Kandahar plane hijacking.