J&K peace talks: How the past interlocutors and groups failed to break any deadlock
The Centre on Monday, in a surprise move, appointed an interlocutor for talks in Jammu and Kashmir. Ex- IB Chief Dineshwar Sharma who has experience of working in the Valley has been roped in as the special representative with Cabinet rank with an agenda of ‘sustained dialogue’ with all stakeholders with ‘legitimate aspirations’.
Rajnath Singh while announcing mentioned PM’s Independence Day statement which said problems in the state could be solved “neither by bullet, nor by abuses but by embracing the people”. He said this showed government’s intention towards solving the Kashmir problem.
Union Home Minister expressed hope that Dineshwar Sharma can make a way forward to solve the Kashmir puzzle and said that failures of the past shouldn’t affect the present. Rajnath Singh also said that being apolitical is the greatest strength of Sharma, and he can assess the ground situation properly.
Dineshwar Sharma has worked as assistant director of IB in Kashmir from 1992-94 and was later head of the Kashmir desk in the capital. It remains to be seen the contours of talks Sharma undertakes. But here is a look at what has happened in similar such efforts in the past.
From 2000, this is the …read more
