"I will be going to Kashmir in the next week. It is a big challenge that has been entrusted and I will go about my job with an open mind," said Sharma speaking to DNA.
The Centre has decided to initiate talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, hoping to restore peace by appointing former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Dineshwar Sharma as a "special representative for a sustained dialogue", following a prolonged period of violence in the state over the last one year. Home Minister Rajnath Singh made the announcement on Monday.
Speaking to DNA, Sharma said he was not expecting the announcement and got the information on Monday and has begun preparing for a visit to the state. "I will be going to Kashmir in the next week. It is a big challenge that has been entrusted and I will go about my job with an open mind," he said.
On being asked if he will also talk to the separatist leadership of Hurriyat Conference, he said, "We will speak to whoever is required after consultations and getting a sense of the ground situation." Sharma is a former IPS officer of the 1979 batch, belonging to the Kerala cadre.
The Home Minister also said that Sharma will get a free hand in taking decisions on whom to initiate talks with.
Singh said that the need for talks is part of the process to ensure peace in Kashmir and will take forward Prime Minster Narendra Modi's vision of embracing Kashmiris to bring peace in the conflict-hit state. "There is no time framework and he will have freedom to meet all challenges and understand the aspirations of people of Kashmir," Singh said. In his speech on August 15 on the occasion of Independence Day, Modi said, "Neither bullets nor abuses but only embracing Kashmiris can solve the problem. (Na goli se, na gaali se, Kashmir ki samasya suljhegi gale lagane se).
Since 1975, there have been four attempts to appoint interlocutors to initiate a dialogue in Kashmir. The last set of interlocutors was appointed by the UPA government in 2010.
The panel included Radha Kumar, MM Ansari and late Dilip Padgoankar, and also submitted a detailed report.
The NDA government appointed KC Pant, then Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, in 2001 and NN Vohra, the current J&K Governor, in 2003.
Ansari welcomed the decision of the government but is skeptical of a positive outcome. "Our report was exhaustive and touched upon various aspects in Kashmir but it's gathering dust as the government has failed to follow the recommendations. We had consensus from all political parties and also had the BJP and RSS on board. Nineteen parties, including Hurriyat Conference, were consulted," he said.
He said since Sharma is a former intelligence officer, he will see things from the prism of security whereas political and social point of view is a must in any dialogue.
The government is however, confident that Sharma's role as a single representative from the Centre will be significant since he has served in Kashmir. "He is known to have a sympathetic and compassionate attitude towards the sufferings of the people of Kashmir," said a government official.
Over the last one year since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, there has been an escalation in violence. Stone-pelting mobs including women and children clashing with security forces had become a routine affair last year. With terror outfits luring local youth, and terrorists burning down schools, the dialogue process will focus on bringing them back to mainstream.
Security forces have gunned down 175 terrorists this year compared to 150 in 2016.
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