It was for the first time in the history of Kashmir conflict that an Indian Parliamentary Delegation reached Srinagar and despite refusal, they went to the doors of top separatist leaders who were undergoing house arrests.
The Central government even appointed a group of three interlocutors to hold “sustained dialogue with all sections of the people” in Jammu and Kashmir. They were, Dileep Padgaonkar, a journalist, MM Ansari, former Information Commissioner and Prof Radha Kumar, trustee, Delhi Policy Group. Dilip Padgaonkar was nominated to chair the meetings of the Group.
“The appointment of interlocutors was only eyewash and an attempt to exhibit that New Delhi was seriously disturbed by the civilian killings,” said Sahil Ahmad, a Political Science scholar. He alleged that India is trying such tactics since decades. “Whenever there is any tension in the valley, New Delhi comes to defuse it by issuing mere statements and announcing so called measures,” Sahil said.
The interlocutors’ report is still pending with the home ministry and its recommendations are yet to be implemented. The “negative attitude” towards its recommendations has even upset the interlocutors themselves.
Security in the Srinagar city is all beefed up to receive the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh again.
Barring the unionist politicians, nobody is expecting miracles from him. Even the Kashmir high court bar association alleges him of “deceiving” Kashmiris by killing time. Bar president, advocate Zaffar Qureshi while commenting on the PMs visit told Kashmir Life, “what can be expected from a person who has been deceiving Kashmiris by killing time throughout his tenure, no concrete steps to resolve Kashmir, not a single move forward, even his peace and dialogue process proved a hoax.”
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