Govt seeks to distance itself from Kashmir Committee

Government today sought to distance itself from the work of the Kashmir Committee headed by eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani that plans to open channels of dialogue with the people of the state.

Highly placed sources said the government has nothing to do with the Committee and the three interlocutors appointed by it were only ones mandated to have dialogue with the people of the state.

"We have nothing to do with the Kashmir Committee. No member of the Committee has met the government. We continue to engage with the people of the state only through the three interlocutors," the sources said.

The clarification comes in the wake of confusion over reports that the Centre had appointed another Kashmir Committee which will hold parallel talks with separatists and other groups in the state.

The three interlocutors appointed by the government in October last year are Dileep Padgaonkar, MM Ansari and Radha Kumar.

Last Tuesday, Jethmalani had said that they decided to revive the decade-old Kashmir Committee that aims to open channels of dialogue with the people of the state to work out solutions to the issue.

Apart from Jethmalani, the other member of the Kashmir Committee include senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, academic and editor Madhu Keshwar and journalist MJ Akbar.

The Kashmir Committee is planning to visit the state next month to hold meetings with the people of the state, including members of civil society, media persons, and people with political affiliations including separatists.