Why did the PDP insist on heading the coalition government?
It is much easier for us to implement the Common Minimum Programme without having to answer it in every nook and corner of the country. The Congress being a national party has its own concerns. We being a regional party can take certain steps with which the Congress may not be comfortable at some point even though these will be in national interest. See how the issue of release of militants is being exploited at the time of the Gujarat elections. Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Geelani were released by the BJP-led government. Aziz Sheikh was not only released but his visit to Pakistan was facilitated by the government. But the issue is being raised now to put the Congress in the dock. There is a need to address the feeling of alienation in Kashmir. And for that the PDP is the answer as people have put their faith in this party and they feel that the party is in a position to deliver on certain emotional issues also. Q: How does the government propose to tackle the problem of militancy? There
