Muscular policy won’t work, dialogue only way forward: Radha Kumar

Srinagar, Oct 27:Former Jammu and Kashmir Interlocutor Radha Kumar who was part of three member Kashmir panel in 2010 has said that muscular policy focused on anti-insurgency campaign won’t restore normalcy in Kashmir and dialogue is the only way forward. She regrets that BJP lacks interest in dialogue and shows interest only in a security centric approach focused on resolving Kashmir through military means and alienating minorities particularly Muslims in the rest of India.

Talking to Kashmir News Service, Kumar said that four years have elapsed but despite the appointment of an interlocutor from security intelligence background dialogue is nowhere visible on ground.

Saying that “after the appointment of a new interlocutor we expected him to reach out to those who did not talk to us but all the expectations have been belied as only counter militancy operations are visible on ground and dialogue is nowhere visible in any part of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Former Interlocutor said “two of my colleagues approached home ministry with the recommendations submitted by us to UPA government and one of my former colleagues late DileepPadgaonkar was assured by the home ministry that government will look into our report and call us for a discussion. Neither we were called nor the report was discussed and we knew it that the members if saffron party in power on showing the report during the reign of Manmohan Singh government torched the copies of our reports under broad day light.”

Regretting that the incumbent BJP government at the centre has blocked all channels of dialogue with both the separatists and as well as Pakistan, Radha Kumar said “a muscular approach focused on anti-militancy operations won’t bring peace to Jammu and Kashmir. Forget about dialogue army does not show any concern for the human rights and public cooperation which was given emphasis during the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)