Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Nov 28: The Centre’s Interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, today visited Anantnag district of South Kashmir where he met 27 delegations during which he assured people that “we are trying to address all problems”.
Sharma arrived in Anantnag today morning at around 10 am and drove to Dak Bungalow where he met delegations. Unlike Srinagar and Pulwama, there was extra-ordinary hustle bustle outside the meeting venue as members of various delegations were waiting to go inside to meet Sharma and put forth their demands and views over wide range of issues.
A large number of youth and students were also seen making beeline outside the Dak Bungalow to meet Sharma. Sources said the delegations which met Sharma largely spoke of unemployment, lack of good governance, release of youth held on stone-pelting charges, power woes, redressel of civic issues and other related problems. The delegations also stressed for meaningful dialogue between all stakeholders for peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue.
Some of the delegations that called on Sharma include Anantnag Youth Forum, Youth Services and Sports, Civil Society members, students and local activists. The delegations from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress also met Sharma. An activist, who met Sharma, said he told him that 2 percent reservation in Central Government departments would help in curbing menace of unemployment in Kashmir.
“I told Sharma we should be given 2 percent reservations for 15 years in Central Government departments like Railways, State Bank of India and PNB, only then we would be able to overcome unemployment by 80 percent,” he said. Members of many other delegations said they only took up issue of release of first time stone-pelters.
“Our entire focus was on youth because unemployment among youths should be addressed and minor stone-pelters should be released instantly. We hope, he (Sharma) would take up the issue and its solution would come out instantly,” said one of the delegation members, requesting not to be named. The student delegations had their own demands and they wanted “permanent relief” from the problems that they are facing.
“Nothing will happen by temporary packages or relief packages. We want a permanent solution to Kashmir. We are not concerned about those things which you employ to silence us. The student community is getting most affected because due to strikes and protests, our time gets waste. The schools and colleges remain shut. How do you expect us to compete with the world when we get so less time to study?”, asked a student outside Dak Bungalow.
According to sources, Sharma assured the delegations that he is trying to address all the problems. “There are so many problems and all problems would be resolved once there is peace. If peace arrives, we would be able to hold Government and even security forces accountable. But peace is most important thing for that. In conflict situation, accountability becomes difficult,” the sources quoted Sharma as having said.
On reviewing of Public Safety Act (PSA) cases, the Special Representative, according to sources, said: “Let me see. If everything goes well, I will try to take up with the Government of India…”
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