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| Outcome never comes in public domain | | Appointing interlocutors time and again | | R.B. Suri | 4/29/2019 11:41:37 PM |
| There always remained a practice of appointing the Interlocutors by the Union Government time and again in respect of the fact, whether the country is under the control of UPA or the NDA, over the issue of settling the Kashmir problem with due care and sensitivity. At the moment, Daneshwar Sharma is in place since more than 20 months and what he is doing these days, no body knows ? Even where he is these days, nothing is there in the print and electronic media? Being the writer of this article, I want to apprise the readers of this esteemed paper that with the great pump and show and confidence, NDA government led by the Prime Minister Narender Modi had appointed the former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Chief Daneshwar Sharma as the GOI Interlocutor in October 2017 to talk with all the stake holders for arriving out at an early settlement of the issues involved in connection with the ongoing unrest in the state especially in Kashmir valley.
Prior to the announcement of Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of the J&K state in place of N.N Vohra, there were rumuors that the Interlocutor Daneshwar Sharma may succeed N.N. Vohra but the same could not be matured. The former outstanding officer of caliber high Daneshwar Sharma was given the status of the Cabinet Secretary and given a free hand to clinch the issue of Kashmir tangle independently. Pertinent to mention that the BJP led government at the center was capable of doing the things in the country's interests and was in a position to settle the Kashmir tangle once for all as there was no threat to dislodge the Modi government at the Center from any side. There were high hopes that the BJP government was determined and serious to take the issue of Kashmir to the logical conclusion once for all as was evident from the fact that while acting swiftly, Daneshwar Sharma started visiting our state from November,2018. He paid number of visits to this state and spent at least more than three months in piece meals in totality in Kashmir, Jammu and Leh besides visiting various Districts in the valley and Jammu and had met with a series of various delegations. These delegations were comprised of trade and business organizations, political parties, youth and students etc. etc. shrewd people who always see and watch their interests and benefits than others. Politicians of the country are very smart and they always put the governments to the tasks and trouble for their sake and betterment as an opportunists. They always exploit others to achieve their goals at the cost of the nation. Having toured the state of Jammu and Kashmir, he confidently stated that the peace will return to the valley soon and declared that he will be visiting the state time and again. Feelers were also sent to the Separatists and the Hurriayat leadership for talks but they maintained and kept the distance for the reasons known to them only. Political experts felt at that time, he may be able to crack the nut in convincing the Hurriyat group for the fruitful talks. At the age of 65 years and also being an ex IPS officer and nbased upon his rich experience, it was expected that he may be able to cinch the grave issue at the earliest. During his service career, he had handled separatism and insurgencies to domestic and regional politics. He had served in a wide variety of command and staff position in various Police Organisations, Paramilitary and Intelligence Agencies. Also remained on senior posts - SSP Kollam District , IB Chief Kerala, Instructor at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel National Police Academy (SSP rank) , DIG , BSF, IGP CRPF as Incharge J&K state in dealing with the militant outfits aggressively. Pertinent to mention here that he too remained with the present National Security Advisor ( NSA) Ajit Doval in connection with the important tasks of the GOI. During his tour to this state in the past, he met then former Governor N.N Vohra and the then Chief Minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti number of times in Jammu and Srinagar and had discussed with them the political and security situation in the state during those days. Pertinent to mention here that since Daneshwar Sharma remained in the valley during his service career for a pretty long time, he must have acquainted with the ins and outs about the valley factors. But at that time he was not supposed to have the interactions with different set ups of various establishments and the religious and social organizations operating across the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Now after his appointment as the Interlocutor of the GOI and with the passage of more than 20 months or so, he must have acquainted with the ground situation which is worsening day by day.He had the interactions with the numerous delegations of the people and the social and religious organizations who are considered as the stakeholders in order to arrive at an amicable settlement of the Kashmir inside solution. Daneshwar was capable enough to grasp the things in the right earnest but painfully it is to mention here that he did not succeed in his mission. The Central Government had appointed a Group of Interlocutors in the past also to hold a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu & Kashmir. During their visits to J&K, the Group of Interlocutors have met various stakeholders including representatives of political parties, various communities, students delegations, welfare associations, community organizations, professional bodies and civil society outfits etc. The Interlocutors have been able to change the discourse and have been able to persuade a number of stakeholders to offer suggestions for a political solution. The Centre had appointed a group of three interlocutors to hold sustained dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. They were, noted journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, Prof. M. M. Ansari, Information Commissioner and Prof. (Mrs) Radha Kumar, trustee of Delhi Policy Group. The three interlocutors, so appointed by the Government, had been entrusted with the responsibility of undertaking a sustained dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to understand their problems and chart a course for the future and it was said that all the three interlocutors had done the credible work in public life and bring with them significant understanding of political and economic issues, specially in context of Jammu and Kashmir. The government of the time hoped that after interacting with all shades of political opinion they will suggest a way forward that truly reflects the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, specially the youth. The former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that these three interlocutors would finish their job at the earliest. It was part of the eight-point initiative announced by the Centre after an all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Mr. Chidambaram, visited Srinagar and Jammu on September 20 and 21, 2014 and had appealed to all the sections of people of Jammu and Kashmir and all shades of political opinion to engage with the interlocutors so that we can move forward on the path of finding a solution to the problem. The background of these Interlocutors was fineang reproduced as under:-
Padgaonkar being the chairman of the group in various capacities in the journalistic field and remained as the Editor of the Times of India and worked with the Asia Pacific Communications Private Limited. Padgaonkar was also part of the Kashmir Committee, led by former Union Minister and eminent lawyer Ram Jethamalani.
Prof. Radha Kumar, who was heading the Nelson Mandela Institute of Peace in Jamia Milia Islamia and had been engaged in back-channel discussions with moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani in the past. And third Interlocutor Prof. Ansari an economist and the accadmecian, who was the Professor and Director at the Hamdard University, was an educationist and economist before moving as an Information Commissioner. He had the background of an economic and education specialist and had served in several institutions in senior positions and provided research and consultancy service to various national and international organizations.
While submitting their report to the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram, the interlocutors - journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, former information commissioner M. M. Ansari and academician Radha Kumar - felt the report's prime focus was the welfare of the people in J& K. The contents of the report were not made public, but Padgaonkar claimed recommendations were aimed at a permanent political settlement in the state.
The interlocutors had recommended increased autonomy for the state, revoking of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from various towns, Withdrawing the Public Safety Act (PSA) that enables indefinite detentions and, most importantly, Reducing the visible presence of the army in the state.
He had also recommended the state to be made more responsible for the security of its people and handing over such responsibilities to the police. The army should mainly be on the border to stop infiltration. The report has separate chapters on the grim state of unemployment in the state, the worrying condition of women and central funding. Dilip Padgaonkar's was not specific as they could not talk with the Sseparatists for seeking their opinion. on this score. Lamenting that the separatists missed the bus by not interacting with the Interlocutors, Padgaonkar opined and stated that we have taken into account the public positions of various Separatist groups. He quoted as "These have been reflected in our report. Obviously, if they had engaged us in talks, the report would certainly have been far more worthwhile. The fact of the matter is that we have tried again and again to engage them and they have refused. I believe they have missed the bus. In all his group had interacted with more than 600 delegations and had the interactions with them that took place in each of the 22 districts of J& K.
Since all is being done at the cost of the exchequer of the GOI as also in the very interests of the Integrity and the Sovereignty of the nation, the people of the country are very much in their right to know about the contributions made so for by the former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Chief Daneshwar Sharma as the GOI Interlocutor up to this time. Also it is a matter of concern for everybody in the country that is Daneshwar Sharma is on the job these days for the task entrusted to him by the GOI ?
If so, the Central Government led by the Prime Minister Narender Modi no doubt on the fag end should bring a WHITE PAPER describing therein as to what was the impact of the Interlocutor Daneshwar Sharma and what are his contributions so for on the subject entrusted to him by the GOI ? It is very much relevant to mention here that during the time of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the Governor N.N. Vohra, Daneshwar Sharma was visiting the state of Jammu and Kashmir time and again regularly and was meeting with the various delegations of the different sections of the society which include the traders organization, Chamber and Commerce, Advocates, Youth, Employees and the Pensioners and the political leaders of the state of course. But surprisingly it is noted that after the coming of the present Governor Satya Pal Malik, Daneshwar Sharma stopped visiting the state. It seems, and it is in this backdrop, certainly the people want to know as to what are the reasons for this eventuality? The Union Government needs to spell out the same before the countrymen. It would be in the fitness of the things that are we require his presence as the Interlocutor of the Union Government under the prevailing circumstances or not?
But certainly one thing is there that Daneshwar Sharma has failed miserably to crack the hard nut- Separatists / Leaders of the Hurriayat Amalgamation (so called stake holders) yet. They have not welcomed his (Sharma) presence over the issue involved and they had not even come forward in meeting him for interactions over the issue of Kashmir tangle. It is very important to describe here that the Central Governments from time to time had experimented in futile on the basis of hit and trial methods thereby appointing the various Interlocutors but they could not succeed. Pertinent to mention here that one prominent citizen of the state Dawarika Sharma had gone to the Division Bench(DB) of the J&K High Court praying therein for the withdrawal of the security provided to Separatists and the Kashmir Centric leaders by the State Government. Hearing in the case was made by the DB on December 14 last year. While issuing the notices to the State / Central Governments, the DB of the J&K High Court had asked for filing the objections. After that what happened no body knows as on date? Under the circumstances, the Central Government in order to put the record straight should come forward in bringing a WHITE PAPER on the issue involved at the earliest possible apprising the people of the country about the role being played by the present Interlocutor Daneshwar Sharma for defusing the Kashmir tangle at the moment. |
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