New Delhi, May 28: New Delhi’s interlocutor on Kashmir,  Radha Kumar, on Monday termed the response of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to the report submitted by interlocutors' as puzzling. She slammed chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani for terming the interlocutors' exercise as "a diversion," and accused separatists of blocking the resolution of Kashmir issue.  
 Talking to Greater Kashmir, Radha said, “BJP’s reaction to our report is puzzling and when it comes to J&K, the party seems to change its position every other day. Their rejection of the report is completely different to what their leadership said when we met them.”
 “JK is at crossroads. It can either move decisively out of violence and towards a solution or do nothing and therewith not move decisively away from violence. Their argument that it was India’s failure to find a solution that has allowed this violence is partly true. But only partly, given Pakistan’s involvement in stoking the insurgency,” she added.
 The Centre’s interlocutor said separatists by remaining away from the dialogue process are hindering the resolution of the Kashmir issue. “But I must say this to all of the Hurriyat: If you will not enter into dialogue, a large number of people will not do so either. You are therewith blocking any process that could lead to a resolution. You are holding the state in limbo. That can only encourage violence, lumpenization and anger, rather than logical thinking on the basis of aspirations,” Radha said, adding that separatists want peace process but don’t want a dialogue, at least with no-one below the level of Prime Minister.
 Radha said she doesn’t “see any statesman-like qualities in what he (Geelani) is doing or saying.”
 “I must say I have a different yardstick for Geelani Sahib. He is much older, has been a statesman, involved in matters of governance and endowed with a lot of knowledge of how states work,” she added.
 Under fire for a suggestion to devolute Jammu & Kashmir, the interlocutor said they are ready to do away with their suggestion of the creation of three regional councils- each for Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir- if people agree.
 “If there is a consensus among the parties in Jammu and in Kashmir and Ladakh that regional devolution will be harmful – and that would be rare and happy consensus on any given issue in the state - we would publicly recommend removing that entire section from our report. But this must be stated and recorded clearly for posterity to ensure that this demand will never be brought up again,” she added.
 Radha said the ball is in court of the people of Jammu & Kashmir vis-à-vis implementation of the report.
 “Ministry has said that the Center will take a call only after there is debate and feedback on our report. In a way, the ball is back in the court of people in JK. If they find it useless, of course it will sink and the government will not take any action. But if they come up with constructive criticism – this, or that must change, this, or that must go, or be added, etc.- and there is wide-ranging debate, then the government will have to look at it,” she added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 IST