Srinagar:
For many of our national leaders who were part of the 39-member all-party delegation visiting Kashmir, the visit was meant coming face to face with the anger that has defined the recent protest.
"The Army is showering bullets on us, and hundreds of people have died in three months. I want to ask you - this is my body (points towards himself), this is India, this is my hand (shows hand), and this is Kashmir. If I put my hand in boiling oil, how will it feel? Why can't you feel this pain? If you say Kashmir is part of India why can't you feel this pain? I'm ready to die but do you have a solution?" an angry Kashmiri youth told Home Minister P Chidambaram who interacted with the aam aadmi to get a first-hand account of their grievances
Those were extraordinary words from an ordinary Kashmiri and the Home Minister listened patiently.
"Why is this part of the country treated differently? Protests happen in other parts of the country as well, but why are we fired upon?" said another local.
On the final day of their visit, some delegates and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah went to the Tangmarg town in north Kashmir that recently saw widespread violence after reports of Quran's desecration in the US.
The delegation led by Home Minister P Chidambaram sat in rapt attention as ordinary Kashmiris gave them a reality check.
Issues such as unemployment, excesses by security forces were raised.
"They are labelling us as Pakistanis and say it is being done at the behest of Pakistan. I feel so bad that I want to catch that man by collar. If we demand our right, which we feel is our genuine right, you must pay attention to it," said another.
As the delegation wrapped up the unique public darbar to reach out to Kashmiris, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed it a success.
He also said meeting separatists was always a part of the plan.
"Lots of things could have been done. The fact is, better late than never," Omar said.
It cannot be said that in the bruised Valley, a passionate appeal by a common man to stop killings and resolve Kashmir issue hit a right a chord or not, but the meeting with ordinary Kashmiri at Tangmarg is the first such effort to reach out to the people on ground.