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| Separatist groups boycott Kashmir talks | | Union government for new beginning in J&K: PM | | BL KAK
NEW DELHI | APR 24
Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's personal vision for the State of Jammu and Kashmir is "peace, prosperity and people's empowerment". Disclosing this in his opening remarks at the third Kashmir roundtable that began here on Tuesday, Manmohan Singh reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir continued to remain at the top of his government's agenda.
Representatives of all major political parties, including the regional and ethnic groups, prominent citizens and intellectuals, were part of the conference, which is taking place exactly a year after the last one. The roundtable will focus on the recommendations of the four working groups, which were constituted after the second meet in Srinagar to establish a credible mechanism to take the dialogue forward with all disaffected groups.
Prime Minister said: "Jammu and Kashmir has tremendous economic potential, the talent of its people is unparalleled, and its cultural diversity is unique. It can and must become a model of real empowerment of the people and comprehensive security for them". He hurriedly added: "If this happens, Jammu and Kashmir will be an epitome of unity, peace and prosperity in diversity. The vision for Jammu and Kashmir is embodied in a broader vision for India and South Asia".
And as he briefly explained that security forces were playing "an important role" in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister linked their deployment pattern to the extent of terrorism. He asserted that the Union government was committed to ensure that terrorism as well as human rights violations and "undue harassment" of people was "minimised." Talking about his vision of a "naya Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh" which is symbolised by peace, prosperity and people's power", he said that terrorism had left "deep scars" in the minds of people and "it is our effort to apply a soothing balm on these scars and make a new beginning.
Prime Minister pointed out that a harmonious neighbourhood and reconciliation with Pakistan were important to realise the vision of an India and South Asia free from the fear of war, want and exploitation. "For this, it is essential to resolve our differences and overcome the trust deficit that has cast a shadow on our relations", he said.
Referring to the recommendations of the working groups on confidence building measures among segments of society and strengthening relations across the Line of Control (LoC) between the two parts of Kashmir, Prime Minister said that the suggestions brought out the dual nature of the issues his government was trying to tackle. According to him, there are two dimensions to the problems of Jammu and Kashmir. One is an internal one and the other, an external one, involving Indo-Pakistan relations. He said: "It is our intention and sincere desire to advance on both fronts towards resolving the problems through a process of dialogue".
Prime Minister told the participants: "The working groups and this roundtable process are part of our effort to find pragmatic, practical means of improving the quality of life of the people so that they lead a life of self-respect and dignity". Maintaining that relations with Pakistan were improving and efforts were on to address pending issues, Manmohan Singh was quick to add that the exercise would be futile unless a peaceful environment was created by curbing terrorist activities.
He said: "I had said a year ago in Amritsar that the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir can, with the active encouragement of the governments of India and Pakistan, work out cooperative, consultative mechanisms so as to maximize the gains of cooperation in solving problems of social and economic development of the region". He made a pointed reference to the boycott of some of the major stakeholders such as the separatists groups, including the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), for the third consecutive time, Prime Minister said: "I hope they too join this process and contribute to the resolution of issues which affect the people of Jammu and Kashmir".
The four working groups set up to work on confidence building measures across segments of society, strengthening of relations across the Line of Control (LoC), economic development and good governance submitted their recommendations. However, the fifth crucial working group, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Saghir Ahmad, which was to have prepared a roadmap for future deliberations on centre-state relations, reached a deadlock.
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