Government forms group of interlocutors on Kashmir

Setting aside political representatives, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government today named senior journalist Dileep Padgaonkar as the head of the group of interlocutors on Kashmir. The three-member team also includes Information Commissioner M M Ansari, and Radha Kumar, the trustee of the Delhi Policy Group.

The formation of the group is a part of the Centre’s initiatives to tackle the Kashmir crisis that recently led to violent protests and left over 100 dead in the valley.

The group will hold sustained dialogue with all sections, especially youth, to bring peace in Jammu and Kashmir and also to defuse the volatile situation.

“The three interlocutors on Kashmir will begin the process of sustained uninterrupted dialogue with all shades of opinion to resolve the problem. They have been entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out dialogue with the people to understand their problems and chart a course for the future,” said Home Minister P Chidambaram.

While many people expected top politicians to head this group, the home minister has deliberately kept political class out and depended on intellectuals and academicians who have been involved in the Kashmir affairs for many years. Padgaonkar was once a part of the study group on Kashmir, while Radha Kumar has been dealing with conflict management for quite some time.

Political observers also pointed out that while J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah insisted on political representatives as interlocutors, the Centre had thought otherwise.

“The government hopes that after interacting with all shades of political opinion, the three interlocutors will suggest a way forward that would truly reflect the aspirations of the people, especially youth,” Chidambaram added.

Hoping to end the ongoing turbulence in the state, Chidambaram appealed to all sections of the people and those with different political shades to engage with the interlocutors so that dialogue process could move forward in finding a solution to the problem.

The home minister further said all the three interlocutors had done credible work in public life and bring with them significant understanding of political and economic issues, especially in the context of Jammu and Kashmir.

The appointment of the interlocutors is part of the eight-point decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security recently.Chidambaram also said the government might add another interlocutor to the group at a later stage.

“The move is a clear demonstration of the seriousness on the part of the government to find a solution to the Kashmir problem which has been there for many, many years. We hope that the interlocutors will hold sustained dialogue with all sections of people, especially with youths and students and all shades of political opinion,” he added.

When the home minister was asked why none of the three interlocutors were from a political background, he said the three had a political persona and they are well known to the people of India. “They are very credible people, people with a good track record and they can begin their work as early as possible,” he said.