Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Dec 25: Union Government’s Special Representative for sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma today arrived in Kashmir on his third visit and drove to border district of Kupwara where he held meetings with scores of delegations.
Sharma arrived in Kupwara today at around 2.30 pm and drove directly to Dak Bungalow. A total of 41 delegations comprising students, traders, political leaders and activists and civil society members were scheduled to meet him. The Special Representative kept meeting these delegations until late in the evening. Authorities had made stringent security arrangements in and around Dak Bungalow.
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Sources said that the delegations took up wide range of issues with Sharma and those include holding talks with all stakeholders, Article 370 and Article 35A, amnesty to first time stone throwers, conduct of security forces and recent civilian killings. Peoples Conference (PC) leader and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kupwara Bashir Ahmad Dar also called on Sharma. After meeting, the MLA Kupwara told reporters that he asked the Centre’s Special Representative to make his stand clear on Kashmir issue.
He, however, said that Sharma appeared to be sincere in the ongoing dialogue process as he is hearing and meeting people by visiting various places. “I met him as a representative of Kupwara. The people are talking to him. I think he also has come with an open mind and is hearing everyone. I told him it is last chance for talking with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and if it doesn’t yield anything, then people would no more trust the dialogue and nobody would be ready to talk anymore,” Dar said.
Dar said he also told Sharma that the resolution of Kashmir is important and that would happen only with talks. “I told him that if you (Sharma) are taking an initiative and you have been given powers, you should clear your stand and if you reach to this conclusion that yes, Kashmir is an issue and should be resolved according to people’s aspirations, then say it in clear terms.
“You (Sharma) have been given time and you would be given more time but do it with seriousness and say this is an issue and its resolution would be taken out. If you are saying this is no issue, then come open and say in clear terms that we don’t have any solution. People would sit back or find new ways for resolution of Kashmir issue,” Dar said while briefing the reporters about his meeting with Centre’s Special Representative.
“We told him that the development is not the problem of Kashmir but New Delhi should shun the path of arrogance. Unless that happen, peace won’t prevail in Jammu and Kashmir. There is need to do away with hate and the Bharatiya Janata Party as a party should stop interfering with Article 370 which is our internal matter,” said a local delegation head after meeting Sharma.
A few delegations also took up the incidents of recent civilian killings in Kupwara with Sharma, said the sources, adding that they sought “change in the conduct of security forces”. “The security forces should be asked to differentiate between a civilian and a militant,” sources quoted one of the delegations as having told Sharma. Meanwhile, Sharma assured all delegations he met that the dialogue process would continue.
Sharma is scheduled to stay at Kupwara tonight and is likely to visit neighbouring Baramulla district tomorrow. Sharma, a former IB chief, was appointed as Special Representative by Government of India in October this year formally to hold and carry forward “sustained dialogue” with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. The Valley’s apex separatist leaders, civil society members and traders have so far stayed away from holding any talks with Sharma.
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