Centre's interlocutor to begin Kashmir visit from Monday, says 'open to talking to everybody'

Dineshwar Sharma was appointed the government`s Kashmir pointsman on October 23.

Pic courtesy: PTI

New Delhi": The central government`s newly-appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma will begin a six-day visit to the Kashmir Valley from Monday.

This will be his first trip to the Valley after he was appointed the government`s Kashmir pointsman on October 23.

"I am going there without any preconceived notions. Everyone is welcome to meet me. I don`t want any new effort (to bring peace in Jammu and Kashmir) to be seen from the prism of the past," Sharma told IANS.

He said he would return to Delhi on November 11, hoping that his efforts will result in "peace and prosperity" in Jammu and Kashmir. 

"I am hopeful I will be able to contribute towards peace and prosperity in Kashmir," Sharma added.

Asked who did he plan to meet during his visit, he said, "I want to understand the pain and suffering of Kashmiris. I know it is not a problem that can be solved overnight or in just one visit. It is a step one towards bringing peace in the state. I am open to talking to everybody. Anybody who believes in peace and wants to come and give me some ideas how to go about, I am willing to listen."

However, separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yaseen Malik have declined to have parleys with the interlocutor.

On October 23, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that the move was to carry forward the "the conviction and consistency" in the government`s Kashmir policy.

"We have decided that a sustained dialogue process should begin in Jammu and Kashmir," he had said.

"As a representative of the government of India Sharma will initiate a sustained interaction and dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of people in Jammu and Kashmir. He will meet elected representatives, political parties, different organisations and individuals he wants to," the HM had added. 

(With IANS inputs)