Once again, the separatist leaders in the valley started crooning the same old ‘song’ – “Kashmir is an international issue”. With literally no takers of this doctrine in India, they are looking across the border towards Pakistan with which India enjoys love-hate relationship.

The Instrument of Accession – a law that binds J&K with India acts as an umbilical cord, suffered serious battering in recent times due to terror activities. Undermining Kashmiriyat – a composite culture that emerged from the synthesis of Islamic doctrines and Vedantic philosophy is ironically receding to periphery, thanks to the separatist leaders who time and again tried to divide rather than unite the society with their vituperative speeches and statements. The recent diatribe made by Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Tuesday that Kashmir is an international issue and not an internal issue of India has stirred up hornets’ nest as this invited flak from leaders across political spectrum. .

Geelani made this statement during his visit to Pakistan’s High Commissioner in New Delhi. "First of all when they say Kashmir is an internal issue, it is against the reality. The issue of Jammu and Kashmir is an international issue and it should be solved," he said.

"It is unfortunate that the Indian government has cancelled the (foreign secretary-level) talks," he said.

Geelani with other leaders of the moderate Hurriyat Conference met Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in Delhi today.

"As long as promises made to us are not fulfilled, this issue will remain unsolved," said Geelani.

He said India is not trying to resolve the issue and suppressing it.

"India does not want to resolve the issue…It is using force to suppress it," he said.

Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the Indian government has over reacted.

"New Delhi over reacted on the issue…There has to be a peaceful, political resolution to the Kashmir issue," Farooq told media persons.

The Indian government on Monday called off the August 25 foreign secretary-level talks, calling Pakistan's engagement with the Kashmiri separatist unacceptable.

India slammed it as continued efforts to interfere in its internal affairs.