SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Hours after New Delhi named three new interlocutors for helping restart dialogue process in strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir and help restore peace in the troubled valley, New Delhi received a major set back as separatist leaders out rightly rejected the decision and termed it as a "futile exercise". Ruling National Conference (NC) welcomed the decision while the state's principal opposition, People's Democratic Party (PDP) hinted at consulting the party leaders before taking a final call.
Both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Dukhtaran-e Millat (DeM) said that the appointment of interlocutors for Kashmir was not going to achieve anything.
Indian Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, earlier in the day announced the appointment of journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, Prof Radha Kumar and information commissioner MM Ansari as interlocutors to hold talks with all shades of opinion, including the separatists, in Kashmir.
Veteran separatist leader and chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, outrightly rejected the decision and said that the decision to appoint interlocutors had once again shown the non-serious attitude of New Delhi towards Kashmir.
"Kashmir is a very big issue hence India must accept Hurriyat (G)'s five-point proposal to resolve the issue," he said. "Holding talks with interlocutors will be a time-consuming and futile exercise."
The octogenarian leader, who is spearheading "Quit Jammu Kashmir campaign", said that New Delhi must think that why over 150 dialogues on Kashmir failed to yield any results.
"Why the talks lack seriousness?" he rued.
Geelani alleged that New Delhi had never been serious in resolving the Kashmir imbroglio.
"That is the reason why we reject the appointment of interlocutors on Kashmir," he said.
He said if New Delhi was serious to resolve the Kashmir dispute then why it failed to pay heed to the conglomerate's five-point proposal.
"The ball is in New Delhi's court and it must take some proactive initiatives," he said.
He said that Hurriyat (G)'s stand on Kashmir was firm and unchangeable.
"India must understand that the peace is south Asia depends upon the peace in Kashmir," Geelani said. "India must show some kind of sincerity and give Kashmiris their right as has been promised by its leaders."
He said that unless New Delhi acts on the five-point proposal mooted by his faction of Hurriyat Conference situation, the conglomerate's "struggle" would continue.
Rejecting the decision, chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, termed it as an "exercise in futility."
"The interlocutors, which have been apointed by New Delhi are very respected persons, but Hurriyat Conference (M) has always supported meaningful talks," he said.
He said that his conglomerate had always endorsed dialogue process, but the purpose of dialogue must only be resolution of Kashmir imbroglio.
"We have had talks with Indian Prime Minister and have met Indian and Pakistani leadership to chalk out some political consensus in order to resolve Kashmir issue," he said.
Mirwaiz, however, said that New Delhi should realise that it can not keep the Kashmiris away from "genuine struggle".
"India should first and foremost build common consensus and decide once and for all whether they are going to speak to Kashmiris or not," he said. "When Indian Parliamentary delegation arrived in Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference (M) had suggested the delegation to constitute joint Parliamentary committee of India and Pakistan to help chalk out an amicable resolution for Kashmir issue."
He said that "non-serious" New Delhi only resorts to time buying tactics.
"The issue can be resolved through tripartite dialogue," he said. "India must give it a thought."
JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, termed the appointment of interlocutors as "cruel joke with Kashmiris".
"The decision does not fail to astonish," he said.
Expressing surprise, Malik said that Kashmir was an international dispute that had consumed four generations of Kashmir.
"Educationists have been appointed as interlocutors as if educational institutions were to be set up in Kashmir," he said.
The JKLF chairman said that the Kashmir imbroglio had triggered three wars between India and Pakistan and that speaks volumes about the importance of the issue.
"India must realise the importance of Kashmir and try to hold talks at highest level," he said.
He said that his party had already suggested New Delhi to constitute parliamentary committee of both India and Pakistan to pave the way for initiating meaningful talks with Kashmiris.
"The Indian parliamentary committee would include members from BJP, Congress, Left parties, while Pakistan parliamentary committee would include members from Muslim League, Pakistan People's Party, Jamat-e-Islami," he said.
Democratic Freedom Party and Dukhtaran-e Millat (DeM) have also castigated New Delhi for "toeing the same old line".
"Unless India accepts Kashmir as a dispute all kinds of talks are meaningless," said acting chairman DeM, Riffat Fatima.
Meanwhile, the decision of appointing interlocutors on Kashmir evoked mixed response from the mainstream parties.
Ruling National Conference (NC) termed it as a "good beginning" and said that New Delhi was serious to address the Kashmir issue.
"Resolving the Kashmir issue is a big task therefore it is a challenge for the interlocutors," senior NC leader and minister for rural development, Ali Mohammad Sagar said. "Now it depends upon the appointed interlocutors how they would engage Kashmiris in talks."
Sagar said that New Delhi was reaching out to people of the state and it was now their turn to reciprocate.
"People must come forward for talks," he said.
President of PDP, Mehbooba Mufti, said that the party would like to consult its leaders before taking any final decision.
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) preferred silence on the issue.
CPI-M state general secretary, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, termed the decision as "unsatisfactory".
He said that the decision would not achieve the desired results.
"Although we have full faith in the integrity and honesty of the people who have been named as interlocutors, but we have been all along vehemently demanding constitution of a parliamentary panel keeping in view the political nature of the present crisis," he said.
Tarigami said that the initiatives taken by the government of India in the past to hold dialogue with the voices of dissent in Kashmir had suffered due to trust and credibility deficit.
"The institution of dialogue deserves a serious approach keeping in view the sensitivities embedded in the Kashmir issue," he said.
He said that his party expected the New Delhi would form the group of interlocutors, while taking into consideration past experiences regarding the dialogue in J&K.
"But it seems a causal approach has been adopted yet again, much to the disappointment of those who are eager to address the issue through the process of dialogue and debate," he said.
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