K-panel against any disruption to JK’s special status

Srinagar: Notwithstanding the demand about abrogation to article 370 from various parties including BJP, the three member interlocutors appointed by New Delhi Wednesday advocated continuation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

“The special status of Jammu and Kashmir must not be disturbed,” the panel headed by journalist Dilip Padgaonkar told reporters in Jammu after completing first leg of their fourth visit to state.

He said that the settlement must treat Jammu and Kashmir as single unit with no bifurcation or trifurcation of the state.

The panel also advocated need to west the state constitution units with such powers that may be required to address the political, economic, social and cultural aspirations of the people.

“Powers must be developed to the constituent units in a multi-layered manner, receding down to panchayat level to allow for effective democratic participation in the development.”

The panel said that to ensure the success of dialogue, the improvement on the ground, “currently underway, should be accelerated.”

Referring to the recommendations made by the group, he said, “After every visit we make recommendations to the Central government. The Government has so far accepted all the recommendations we made after our three visits.”

He said that some of the suggestions have to be implemented by the Centre and some by the state government. “We have every reason to believe that the chief minister is keen on doing so at the earliest,” Padgaonkar said.

To improve the situation, the group had recommended expediting cases of undertrials, permitting peaceful protests, releasing militants and protestors against whom there are no serious charges among others.

The group, comprising besides eminent journalist Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and former Central Information Commissioner M.M. Ansari, had also recommended training of forces, identifying jobs for young men and women in central and State Government offices, announcing scholarships for Kashmiri students, enhancing monetary assistance to widows and orphans and efforts to trace missing persons.

Based on their discussion with cross section of the society, the interlocutors said that country’s internal and external security concerns must be fully factored into the political settlement.

The panel, appointed in October last year, also called for hassle-free procedures for exchange of people, goods and ideas across the Line of Control.

The interlocutors also asked BJP to reconsider its plan to hoist the tricolor at Lal Chowk here on R-Day, underlining that it could lead to disturbance in peace in the Valley.

“To hoist the flag is right of every citizen and we don’t dispute. But if it leads to aggravating tension or to thwarting the dialogue process now underway, it should be seriously reconsidered,” Padgaonkar said.   “We hope that BJP functions in a way that facilitates return to normalcy.” he said.

Earlier, the members detailed out their meeting on the first leg of fourth visit to Jammu and Udhampur,  correspondent said.

Padgaonkar said that the panel during their discussions with ‘stakeholders’ heard diverse, even divergent views, on mechanism that needed to be put in place to ensure the fulfillment of the political, economic, social and cultural aspirations of people in constituent units including those who were uprooted from their homes because of “wars, militancy and civilian strife.”