Sharma told meet J&K separatists

Srinagar, Nov 9: From the necessity of talking to Hurriyat separatists to appointing a tehsildar, Dineshwar Sharma, the Centre’s point person on Jammu and Kashmir, has heard it all.

During his visit to the Valley, the former Intelligence Bureau chief, who left for Jammu on Thursday for the second leg of his visit to the state, met nearly 30 delegations during his stay here, officials said.

Mr Sharma, who arrived here on Monday, was flooded with suggestions and requests, ranging from the serious to the mundane.

Many of those who met him stressed the need to talk to separatist groups, including the Hurriyat Conference, a separatist conglomerate comprising moderate and hardline factions.

Some of the groups, especially from downtown Srinagar, said he must engage in discussions with separatists to make his mission successful. Mr Sharma had told reporters on Wednesday that he would try his best to meet the Hurriyat leaders when he visited the state next.

The groups, comprising mainly youth, emphasised that meeting political leaders from mainstream political parties may be a necessity, but those favouring separatist ideology should not be ignored, said officials.

The Centre’s special representative on Kashmir also met a group of youngsters, who termed themselves ‘children of conflict’ and wanted the rights and opportunities available to students in other states. The group spoke about lack of opportunities in the state and said they are viewed with suspicion whenever they venture out of the Valley.

Some of the delegations that met Mr Sharma highlighted the lack of governance and the nonimplementation of various central government schemes in the state. Groups of migrants, both Muslims and Hindus, raised their demand for hiking the monthly relief amount, officials said.

PTI