Bids to engage with Kashmir go on
REACHING OUT Since the onset of militancy in the strife-torn state, Delhi has made numerous efforts to resolve the issue and bring peace
NEW DELHI: An all-party meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday was part of the Centre’s effort to once again find a solution to the cycle of violence in Kashmir, where at least 60 people have died and thousands injured following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Since the onset of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir in 1989-90, the Centre has made numerous efforts to resolve the issue.
The first time an all-party delegation visited Kashmir to assess the situation was in January 1990. It was headed by the then deputy PM Chaudhury Devi Lal and included, among others, then leader of opposition Rajiv Gandhi. The visit came against the backdrop of the kidnapping of then Union home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter, Rubiya, and the subsequent release of militants in exchange for her freedom.
After spending two days in Srinagar, the all-party delegation returned to Delhi. One of its suggestions included the appointment of political advisors to the then governor Jagmohan and accordingly George Fernandes was made a minister for Kashmir affairs.
Prior to that, General KV Krishna Rao resigned as governor and was replaced by Jagmohan. Soon after, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah resigned as CM.
During the tenure of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Centre held its first talks with Kashmiri separatists. The meeting on January 22, 2004, saw five separatist leaders shake hands with then deputy PM LK Advani to find a solution. Vajpayee, too, had a photo-op with Hurriyat leaders.
The second round of talks between Advani and the Hurriyat Conference was held on March 27, days before the BJP-led NDA government was voted out of power in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
But before that, the Vajpayee government in February 2003 appointed former home secretary NN Vohra as the Centre’s interlocutor for J&K. The mandate of Vohra, current governor of the state, was to hold dialogues with different shades of opinion in the state to hammer out a solution. Throughout his tenure, Vajpayee laid special focus on the troubled state and also appointed former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief AS Dulat as his advisor on Kashmir affairs.
The first major initiative by the UPA-I government under then PM Manmohan Singh was the announcement of a roundtable conference in Delhi in February 2006. While all mainstream political parties attended, the separatist camp boycotted it. The second roundtable in Srinagar in May 2006 was also boycotted by separatists.
In May 2006, Singh announced the setting up of five working groups to resolve the issues confronting J&K. The groups were assigned for improving Centre’s relations with the state, furthering relations across the Line of Control, giving a boost to the state’s economic development, rehabilitating families of militants and reviewing the cases of detainees. All groups gave their recommendations but none was implemented.
After a lull, Kashmir erupted again in June 2008 over the alleged transfer of forest land to the Amarnath shrine board to manage the pilgrimage. An all-party meeting convened by then PM Singh appealed for calm after weeks of violence. Later, an all-party delegation headed by then home minister Shivraj Patil toured Kashmir to douse the fire.
Again on September 20, 2010, a 39-member all-party delegation visited Kashmir to assess the situation in the wake of violence that claimed more than 120 lives in three months from June. The delegation gave eight suggestions, including appointing a team of interlocutors.