Centre to talk to Hurriyat within ambit of Constitution: BJP

The Central government is ready to talk to separatist Hurriyat leaders, but within the ambit of the Indian Constitution, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said here on Monday.

BJP's J&K in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters: "We are ready for talks. Hurriyat leaders are our own people. They are residents of J&K so they are most welcome to talk to us, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but within the ambit of Indian Constitution."

He said the Prime Minister was trying to create a peaceful atmosphere in the state to win the trust of its people.

Khanna's statement came a day after senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq reiterated that the Hurriyat leadership was always ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue aimed at conflict resolution in Jammu and Kashmir.