UPA-era J&K interlocutors welcome Centre’s move on dialogue process but question its limited scope

NEW DELHI: Former central interlocutors on Jammu & Kashmir, who recommended the then UPA government in 2011 go for a number of confidence-building measures (CBMs) and favoured upholding the autonomy provisions of the state under Article 370 of the Constitution, on Monday welcomed the Centre’s move to go for a dialogue process through a new interlocutor but questioned the rationale behind its limited scope.
“It’s (appointing an interlocutor) a welcome relief as it recognises the importance of dialogue. But, I was taken aback by the use of words like ‘legitimate aspirations’ in the statement”, said Radha Kumar, one of the interlocutors of the three-member panel, appointed by the then UPA government in October, 2010.
She told TOI that the use of word ‘legitimate’ is nothing but a pre-condition. “You cannot achieve the desired objective through such pre-condition by limiting the dialogue process”, Kumar said while referring to the mandate of the new interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma who is a former chief of the intelligence bureau (IB).
The home ministry in its statement said, “Sharma will initiate a sustained interaction and dialogue to understand the legitimate aspirations of the wide cross sections of society, particularly the youth in Jammu & Kashmir and communicate them to the State government and the Centre”.
Besides Radha Kumar, former information commissioner M M Ansari and late journalist Dileep Padgaonkar were the other two interlocutors on the panel.
Though Ansari too welcomed the dialogue process, he said the appointment of a former IB chief as interlocutor was a clear indication that the government was just looking at the entire issue through a prism of security and intelligence.
“Security and intelligence agencies and military establishments are important stakeholders. But, the issue should not be limited to those concerns. It would be a futile exercise if the government goes ahead with it without implementing various recommendations, including the CBMs, which we had made”, said Ansari.
He told TOI that the panel had then talked to all political parties including BJP and even the RSS before making those recommendations. “Why is the present government shying away from implementing those suggestions including the CBMs?”asked Ansari.
Besides recommending a number of CBMs including review of Disturbed Areas Act and re-appraisal of application of controversial AFSPA, the three-member panel had also suggested setting up of a constitutional committee to review all Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India extended to Jammu & Kashmir after the 1952 Delhi agreement.
In the pre-1953 era, the Centre's jurisdiction was mainly restricted to defence, external affairs, communication and finance. The 1952 agreement had enabled extension of all the central acts, Articles of Constitution of India and hoisting of Indian tri-colour along with the state flag.