Former Director of Intelligence Bureau, Dinesh Sharma has been appointed interlocutor for initiating talks with stakeholders in Kashmir. Sometimes back Prime Minister Modi had said that his Government’s policy was to win over the people of Kashmir with love. In fulfilment of that intention, the Centre has taken the initiative of opening the talks with stakeholders in Kashmir. As per the announcement of the Home Minister there are no strings attached to the process and it is not mentioned who will be the participants and who will not be. This appears to be concession given by the Centre to all stake holders. This is reconfirmed by the statement of the Home Minister that the Centre wants to know the aspirations of the people and how best the Government of India in consultation with the State Government can meet these.
Previously also there were interlocutors given the assignment of talking to the stakeholders in Kashmir. In particular during the previous UPA Government a three member team of interlocutors was appointed who conducted deliberations for nearly two years and then submitted its report and recommendations to the Home Ministry. What happened to that report and those recommendations is not known. Prior to that also there have been interlocutors trying to untie the Kashmir juggernaut. However, this time there is slight deviation from the pattern in the sense that a retired DG of IB has been given the assignment with the rank of Cabinet Secretary. Apart from being a former top senior intelligence officer evidently expected to know the full ins and outs of Kashmir issue and the line of thinking of various groups including the Hurriyat and the separatists, and that he has been given the freedom of meeting with whosoever he deems fit is the difference. It will certainly have an edge over the previous interlocutor teams.
Observers are trying to figure out what has changed on the ground making the Centre ready to initiate fresh talks. Maybe there are signals that the time has arrived when the Centre should shed its rigid attitude that had got formulated owing to the failure of the All Party delegation that visited Kashmir last summer but was not welcomed by the separatists. Whatever be the case, it is anybody’s surmise that some spadework is already done by actors behind the scene. That should augur well and help in breaking the ice. The right policy for any democratic state in such situations is to keep the doors of dialogue open and make untiring efforts for preparing the parties for a dialogue. That is precisely what the Centre is now determined to do. There has been huge misunderstanding and miscalculations on either side during recent years and differences have deepened. No successful democratic Government can allow a large chunk of its population remain alienated and disgruntled. Astute statesmanship demands that this unwanted status quo has to be broken and negotiations opened.
Kashmir stakeholders have to understand some harsh realities. Firstly, by rejecting the offer of talks directly or through intermediaries as the separatists and Hurriyatis did last year with the All Party Parliamentary Parity delegation, is not leading them anywhere. The fact is that continuation of violence only leads to destruction of more innocent lives of Kashmiris. The negative approach is not going to bring about solution or relief to any side. Therefore the separatists have to change their attitude. The silver lining around the proposed talks is that the Centre has not put forth any condition for talks. In a sense it is an open invitation. Even the tag of talking within the parameters of the Indian Constitution has not been mentioned. This means there is an invitation to even the separatists and secessionists who are not willing to talk within the Indian Constitutional framework. This is perhaps the first time that such a big concession is given. The Hurriyat and the separatists and secessionists should think twice before they decide to reject the talks with the interlocutor. That will be a suicidal decision on their part.
Elimination of a large number of commanders of terrorist organization sponsored by Pakistan has drastically weakened Kashmir militancy. It has happened because the army has tightened only one screw under Operation All Out. Therefore, the right course for the separatists and Hurriyatis who had been banking on the support of gun wielding youth both local and outsiders is to take their independent and pragmatic decision keeping the larger interests of the people of Kashmir in mind. It is important for the separatists to understand that Pakistan has been isolated in the world as terrorism sponsoring country. It has become notorious all over the world and those who associate with it like the Kashmir separatists are bound to be ignored and isolated by the world community. No country in the world accepts that the movement in Kashmir is a national freedom movement. They consider it either a fundamentalist terrorist movement or a communal movement which cleansed Kashmir of its religious minority.
Of late more and more civilians are bringing intelligence to the army, BSF and state intelligence agencies about the hideouts and movements of the terrorists. The gulf between the ordinary citizens and the militants wielding arms is widening and the day is not far off when there will be an open revolt against terrorists and they will be sought and hounded out. Selective killing of Kashmir police personnel has sent a wave of strong resentment across entire Kashmir. The gunmen enter the private houses and gun down unarmed persons under the false allegation of them being the informers. This is now boomeranging on them and Kashmir civil society is on the verge of polarization in which unwanted elements will get liquidated at any cost.
Lastly, talks offered so liberally provide a face saving to the separatists who are feeling humiliated and ashamed after the NIA exposed the avarice of their leaders who have amassed crores of rupees and have raised huge properties by posing as the pioneers of so-called freedom movement.
We welcome a courageous decision of the Home Ministry and we beseech all stakeholders to participate in it with full and serious responsibility and not play with the sentiments of innocent Kashmiris.
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