Centre finalises interlocutors for J-K dialogue process

NEW DELHI - The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday appointed eminent journalist Dr. Dilip Padgaonkar, Information Commissioner M M Ansari and academician Professor Radha Kumar as interlocutors in the Jammu and Kashmir dialogue process.

Dr. Dilip Padgaonkar will preside over the group’s meetings.

The three interlocutors appointed by the Govt. have been entrusted with the responsibility of undertaking a sustained dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to understand their problems and chart a course for the future.

All the three interlocutors have done credible work in public life and bring with them significant understanding of political and economic issues, specially in the context of Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has expressed hope that the interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir will begin their work as early as possible and appealed to all sections of society to engage with the interlocutors to bring a solution.

“The three interlocutors are very credible people and they will begin work as early as possible. We may add one more interlocutor later,” he said.

The decision to appoint a set of interlocutors was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on September 25.

The terms and references of the panel will be to hold talks with all shades of opinion including mainstream political parties and separatists. The panel will cover views of all the three regions–Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir.

The Centre had recently announced an eight-point package of initiatives with the immediate objectives to maintain peace and order and defuse the situation in Jammu and Kashmir through confidence building measures.

It may be noted that Dilip Padgaonkar is a journalist, editor and author. He worked in various capacities in journalistic field including Executive Editor and Editor of the Times of India. He is presently with the Asia Pacific Communications Pvt. Ltd.

Prof. M.M. Ansari is currently Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission (CIC), New Delhi. He holds a background of an Economist and Education Specialist and has served several institutions in senior positions and provided research and consultancy service to national and international organizations

Prof. (Mrs) Radha Kumar is Director of the Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia University and trustee of the Delhi Policy Group.

She is a specialist on ethnic conflicts and peace processes and has held several important positions in the international bodies dealing with peace studies and conflict resolution.

Keeping in view the immediate objectives to maintain peace and order and defuse the situation in Jammu and Kashmir state through confidence building measures, the Central Government had taken certain decisions.

One of the decisions was to appoint a Group of Interlocutors under the chairmanship of an eminent person to hold a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.(ANI)