Ex-Chief Justice appointed interlocutor on Jammu & Kashmir

Amidst the continuing protests in the Jammu and Kashmir over Amarnath land transfer row, the Centre has appointed former Chief Justice of India, A S Anand as its chief interlocutor to defuse the crisis. Justice Anand who has also served Human Rights Commission as its chairman will hold discussions with leaders of the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, the group spearheading the protests in Jammu, to seek out a reasonable solution of the crisis admissible to the both sides.

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Meanwhile, a three-member team headed by India’s National Security Advisor- MK Narayanan is likely to visit Kashmir valley on Wednesday to get first hand account of the security situation. Mr. Narayanan, sources said, will be accompanied by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh.

The valley visit will be followed by Jammu on Thursday where protesters have been carrying out agitation for over a month against the cancellation of 100 acres forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The Governor N N Vohra had rescinded the transfer of land to SASB through his June 30 order after the Kashmiri people rose in protest.

Sources said that the SASS nodded late Tuesday to hold talks with a panel constituted by the Governor to seek a solution acceptable to all. Earlier, the group also participated in talks with all party, but the meeting had failed to reach any solution.

The visit comes at the backdrop of tens of thousands of separatists’ march to the UN’s Observers Office in the state capital, Srinagar yesterday in their attempt to submit memorandum seeking the international watchdog’s intervention in the state against the human rights abuses by security forces and to terminate the forcible occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and stop brutality against the people. The march though was peaceful but marred by anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans.

The team will gauge the persisting crisis in the valley arising out of the separatists’ propaganda about an alleged economic blockade.

The three-day economic blockade which hampered the valley’s people was removed with immediate effect after the Centre’s direction. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directed state government to ensure economic blockade never to be reinforced again.

Narayanan will also be taking into account the security measures against the orchestrated march of separatists to the Idgah on Friday. The state, now under Governor’s rule, is also scheduled to go for assembly elections in October, which seems difficult in the present situation.

Nearly 25 people were killed in the Kashmir valley during last week’s police firing when the fruit growers’ association backed by several political parties, protesting against the economic blockade enforced by SASS, tried to cross the border to reach Muzafferabad, the capital of the Pak-occupied Kashmir. The agitation which kicked off over a land row suddenly took an ugly anti-India turn.

The dispute started after the Congress-led state government promise to grant 100 acres of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. But, in the wake of vehement protests from a section of the Muslim Community the government rescinded from its earlier promise.

The government’s U-turn sparked anger among Hindu Community in Jammu who soon formed Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS) – a platform – to carry out protests against the government’s decision. In the course of time the agitation turned violent and at some places converted into communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims.

The all-party delegation set up at the initiative of Prime Minister earlier visited Jammu & Kashmir to hold talks with the protesters, but could not seek solution. The meeting was also held at New Delhi under the chairmanship of Home Minister Shivraj Patil and later Prime Minister, but the solution is still distant.