Situation better in south Kashmir now: Dineshwar
Centre’s special rep meets delegations in Kulgam, Anantnag and Shopian
SRINAGAR : The Centre’s special representative for Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, on Friday said that the situation is better in south Kashmir.
Sharma, who began his state tour on Thursday from Shopian district, completed his visit of Anantnag and Kulgam in south Kashmir on Friday. Sharma said his meetings went well.
On being asked how the situation in south Kashmir is in comparison to his last visit in November, he said: “Hume mahool thoda better laga (I found that the situation a little better)”.
South Kashmir has emerged as the hotbed of militancy in the state particularly after the mass protests for months following the death of Hizbul Mujhaideen militant Burhan Wani in July 2016.
In October last year, the Centre appointed Sharma, former director of the Intelligence Bureau, to “initiate and carry forward a dialogue” in the state aimed to solve the decades old Kashmir problem.
Since then, Sharma has visited the state a number of times and met dozens of delegations. Some initiatives like withdrawing cases against first time stone-pelters were taken on his advice.
On Friday, Sharma met some delegations at Kulgam deputy commissioner’s office. The delegations included members of a mainstream political party, some lawyers and a group of fruit growers.
Last November, too, Sharma had toured some parts of south Kashmir, one of the most politically sensitive regions of the Valley where anti-India sentiment runs deep.
JKNPP CRIES FOUL
While accusing Dineshwar Sharma of working in furtherance of the separatist agenda of Kashmir-centric forces, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers (JKNPP) chairman Harsh Dev Singh on Friday decried the disregard for the concerns of Jammu region.
“Not a single issue put forward by hundreds of delegations of Jammu region regarding its perpetual subjugation by Kashmir-dominated political system is reported to have been addressed,” lamented Harsh.
Singh said, while the polices for appeasement to stone-pelters, anti-nationals and surrendered militants were being framed on regular basis, the issues of Jammu region appeared to have been ‘consigned to the dustbin’.
Regretting the pathetic plight of border dwellers, Singh said, no action or recommendation having been made for ameliorating their lot by the Centre’s special representative.
The repeated assurances of giving them five marla plots besides reservations in jobs failed to receive his attention, he added.
SOUTH KASHMIR HAS EMERGED AS THE HOTBED OF MILITANCY IN J&K, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE MASS PROTESTS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HIZB COMMANDER WANI