Mission interlocutor

Farzana Mumtaz

 

 

In a major development, the Centre few  weeks back  appointed Shri Dineshwar Sharma, former Director of Intelligence Bureau, as the Representative of Government of India to initiate and carry forward a dialogue with the elected representatives, various organizations and concerned individuals in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The development was seen as a deadlock breaking move with reference to painful situation of Kashmir prevailing since long.

 

When  Sharma was appointed as Interlocutor it was stated that he will initiate a sustained interaction and dialogue to understand the legitimate aspirations of the wide cross sections of society, particularly the youth in Jammu and Kashmir and communicate them to the State Government and the Centre.

 

 

I will try my best,” Sharma told reporters when asked if he would go an extra mile to meet the Hurriyat Conference leaders.

The Joint Resistance Forum, a conglomerate of three prominent profreedom  organisations—the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the JKLF—had announced that they would not meet with the interlocutor  and termed  his appointment a “time-buying tactic” of the Centre.

CPI-M MLA Yusuf Tarigami   told the central government’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma that peace in Jammu and Kashmir can only result out of “genuine and meaningful parleys”. Pertinently, addressing a joint press conference with Hakim Yaseen, leader of the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), and Ghulam Hassan Mir, leader of the Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN), after they met Sharma, Tarigami said peace cannot be made a pre-condition for a dialogue process.

 

 

 

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had an advice to offer for interlocutor. We discussed the prevailing situation in the state as also steps that can be taken to make his visits to the state more meaningful,” Abdullah said in a post on microblogging site Twitter. He told media persons that he hoped that Sharma acts on his suggestions “as waiting for people to come and meet him won’t yield results”.

 

 

Bilal Bashir Bhat, member JKYJA and Editor in Chief Only Kashmir speaking on the development stated – “The interlocutor step was a step in right direction but the lack of homework from the government ruined the beginning of this otherwise good move. Giving confused signals and reducing the prestige of institution of interlocution forced many sane voices to stay away from the process and thus also desired results were not achieved .One hopes the next time interlocutor comes here it would bear fruits and a proper homework would be done .All parties of dialogue being serious in the process is the only way ahead to resolve Kashmir tragedy.”

The hopes are pinned that Mission interlocutor gains desired momentum.