New Delhi, May 23
In a determined effort to involve all sections in the political and developmental endeavours in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is leaving for Srinagar tomorrow for the second roundtable conference to evolve mechanisms for tackling security, giving a push to economic development, safeguarding human rights and promote cross-LoC travel and trade.
Even though the two-day meeting is being held in the wake of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference deciding to boycott it while seeking a separate meeting with the Prime Minister, authoritative sources believe these aberrations are unlikely to affect the outcome of the conference aimed at bringing together a wide cross-section of public opinion.
Dr Singh has reiterated that he is ever willing to talk to anyone who abjures violence and steers clear of going into the question of redrawing the borders, which is ruled out.
With the people desperately wanting a return to normality in J and K and putting an end to mindless violence which has taken a heavy toll of the innocent, the government is actively considering setting up specific sub-groups to deal with overriding issues affecting the people at large in the troubled border state.
The round table is expected to dwell on democratic decentralisation and ensuring accountability in governance.
The government has made it clear that the Prime Minister will not meet any group separately during his stay in Srinagar as sought by the Hurriyat Conference. This is particularly so as Dr Singh has been categorical that he is always prepared to meet all groups and political parties. The forum of a roundtable will facilitate all sections to air their views directly to the Prime Minister.
In an interface with media persons last night after a brief ceremony about the Congress-led UPA government completing two years in office, Dr Singh observed he was not surprised that the separatist Hurriyat Conference had decided to boycott the round table. He had no doubt that some day the Hurriyat Conference would realise that standing apart would not benefit anyone.
Sources insisted that the separatist groups did not hold the “veto” to the outcome of the conference but the kind of positive impact it brings to bear in J and K. The exercise of a roundtable had never been attempted before which provided an opportunity for free and fair discussions.
The second roundtable is expected to go far beyond the first such conclave. It will be focussing on specific issues to be addressed by the subgroups encompassing law and order, all-round development, trade, human rights and cross LoC travel for increased people to people contacts.
The separatist groups had also boycotted the first roundtable held here in February. At the same time the moderate Hurriyat
Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, later met the Prime Minister in Delhi on May 3. At this meeting, Dr Singh had urged the separatist group to suggest a mechanism for addressing internal and external dimensions of the Kashmir imbroglio.The first roundtable had stressed that violence had no place in a civilised society and all concerned should uphold basic human rights. The Prime Minister had also expressed confidence that a common understanding on autonomy and self-rule could be reached within the “vast flexibilities of the Constitution.”
The government has invited 35 leaders, including the representatives of the moderate and hard-line factions of the Hurriyat Conference to the roundtable.
Meanwhile, the BJP has decided to skip the second roundtable in Srinagar in protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in Doda district of J and K. The party’s J and K unit has conveyed the BJP’s decision to the state government.
