Srinagar, May 24: Asserting that they are willing to meet separatist groups to get feedback on their report, the Centre’s interlocutors Thursday said both the government of India and the State Government should work for immediate implementation of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) proposed in the report, but added that political aspect of Kashmir solution needs wider debate and discussion.
“We will be more than willing to meet separatist leadership in Kashmir to get their response on the report,” Chief Interlocutor, Dileep Padgaonkar told Greater Kashmir over phone from Delhi.
Padgaonkar said they made several attempts to meet them (separatists) during the interlocution period. “We will try to reach out to them to get their feedback on the recommendations made in the report,” Padgaonkar said, adding that separatists are important stakeholders on Kashmir issue and their “feedback is important for us”.
Padgaonkar made these remarks hours after Union Home Ministry released their report on its website. The three member team of interlocutors comprising Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and former Information Commissioner MM Ansari were appointed by Centre in the wake of 2010 unrest in which more than 120 persons mostly youth lost their lives.
Padgaonkar said their mandate of interlocution is over, but Government of India has engaged them as resource persons for getting feedback over the report.
“During the next few weeks, we will be on job of getting wider feedback from cross-section of the society within Jammu & Kashmir and country and for that purpose we will be holding series of meetings,” he said.
Another interlocutor Radha Kumar said the engagement of Hurriyat is must for meaningful dialogue process and “without taking them on board it is very difficult to arrive at any solution”.
“We have tried our best to meet separatist groups during our stint as interlocutors, but you cannot force anybody to come to the table and they have the right to make their decisions,” she said.
Radha said engagement of Pakistan is must “if you talk of finding solution to formerly princely state of Jammu & Kashmir”.
“If solution has to be found for both parts of Kashmir, then Government of India has to engage Pakistan,” she added.
Radha said both the State and Central Government should start the process of implementation of CBMs like withdrawal of First Information Reports (FIR’s) lodged against youth, rehabilitation of former militants and amendments in controversial security laws, as there is wider consensus over these issues.
“The CBMs shouldn’t be put on back burner, but the most important point is that the political aspect needs to be debated and discussed,” she said.
The interlocutor said that they would be travelling to all parts of Jammu and Kashmir for getting feedback on their report shortly.
“We would hold roundtable conferences in the month of June & July in Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh to get feedback over recommendations made in the report,” she said, adding they will submit report on feedback in August to Centre.
Radha added that their report should be read in its totality.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 IST