On a mission to understand the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the all party delegation today began its two-day exercise with Home Minister P Chidambaram promising the people of the state that their future, honour and dignity are secure as part of India.

Main opposition PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and separatist leaders, including Syeed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, decided not to meet the delegation.

While a 15-strong PDP delegation would meet the all party leaders and explained the party's stand, but some of the separatists factions would be giving memorandum to the team.

Flanked by leaders of different political parties and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Chidambaram said the delegation would like to hear the grievances of the people.

"We hope and believe that the honour, dignity and future (of Kashmiris) are secure as part of India," he said.

Chidambaram said the delegation has a tight schedule and asked the parties appearing before them to make their presentation effectively.

The 42-member team, which arrived here on a crucial two-day visit to assess the ground situation, was received by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, as curfew remained clamped in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The death toll during violence and clashes in the last three months is now at 103.

Asked whether her decision not to meet the delegation was a symbolic protests, Mehbooba said she did not believe in symbolism but was sending a strong delegation to put forth her party's point of view.

She said her views were well known as she had attended the all party meeting in Delhi last week and that her party's senior leaders should have a chance to make their presentation.

Mehbooba also accused the ruling NC of trying to hijack the all party delegation.

Moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF will skip meeting the team but will submit a memorandum to it, JKLF chief Yasin Malik said.

"It is a creative memorandum. Hope it is taken in the right spirit and that the delegation understands the pulse of the people," Malik said.

Some members of the delegation are likely to call on hardline Hurriyat leader Sye Ali Shah Geelani at his Hyderpora residence here.

Though Geelani has officially refused to meet them, he said the delegation members will not be turned away if they decide to call on him at his house as they were guests.

Restoration of autonomy to Kashmir best solution to issue: NC

(PTI) Terming the all-party initiative as a good beginning, the ruling National Conference today said it has suggested restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir as the best solution to resolve the long-pending issue.

"We have proposed autonomy (restoration of autonomy) as the solution to the Kashmir issue. It is nothing new as it is contained in the instrument of accession," senior NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather told reporters after meeting the all-party delegation headed by P Chidambaram.

He said the NC made it clear to the delegation that under the instrument of accession, the division between the Centre and the State were clearly demarcated with all the powers of the legislation resting with the state other than those concerning defence, external affairs and communication.

Rather said over the years the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir was "eroded unconstitutionally" which the NC believes was the reason for the Kashmir discontent.

It began with the arrest of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdulalh in 1952. In a reference to BJP's demand for abrogation of article 370, he said, "Those making this demand are living in a fool's paradise."

"Only constituent Assembly of JK, which submitted its report in 1956, could have done that," he said.

Rather said that the NC reminded the delegation about the promises made to the people of JK with regard to restoration of autonomy.

"We won the elections in 1996 in all three regions of the state on the autonomy plank. A resolution was passed by the Assembly in July 2000 but it was rejected by the then NDA government without reading it.

"If there is any other solution which is acceptable to people of JK, we will support it," Rather said underlining the need for sustaining a dialogue both on internal and external fronts to find a political solution to the Kashmir issue.

He said that the party also reiterated its demand to withdraw the Armed Forces Special Act (APSPA) from the Valley.