Centre's interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma held talks with border dwellers, civil society delegations in Jammu

Jammu, February 8: The central government’s interlocutor to Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma on Thursday held talks with a large number of delegations from all sections of society including the people living on the Line of Control (LoC) of the valley. Notably, Dineshwar Sharma is on the visit of Jammu and Kashmir to carry forward the interlocution process. 

Centre’s Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma met 15 delegations of civil society and politicians in Jammu. Dineshwar Sharma interacted with the delegation members to know their problems and grievances and assured them that the Centre and State Governments were committed to resolving all issues including problems faced by the border dwellers.

Earlier, he visited Poonch where the border people raised the demands like the construction of bunkers, increase in compensation for casualties and damages due to Pakistan shelling and firing and some other issues. Dineshwar Sharma also met Governor N N Vohra at the Raj Bhawan on Tuesday.

Sharma briefed the Governor about his visits to the state and the viewpoints put forth before him by different sections of the society in view of a prevailing situation in the state with suggestions. Sharma will also meet delegations in the border district of Rajouri.

Over 60 delegations including Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti and Governor NN Vohra met Dineshwar Sharma during his last visit. Sharma described the meetings with the people in north Kashmir as very positive and encouraging. However, top separatist leaders, civil society members and traders in Kashmir refused to meet the interlocutor during his all three visits to the valley.

Importantly, Dineshwar Sharma is the person behind granting of amnesty to stone pelters. After his recommendation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti announced to relieve 4237 first time stone pelters in Kashmir.

BACKGROUND:

Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the month of October last year said that the central government has decided to start a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, with former Intelligence Bureau director Dineshwar Sharma appointed as the Centre’s representative.

Dineshwar Sharma, a Bihar-born, Kerala-cadre Indian Police Service officer of the 1979 batch was the chief of the Intelligence Bureau. Sharma has a wide range of experience in handling separatism and insurgencies to domestic and regional politics. He has also served in a wide variety of command and staff positions in various Police, Paramilitary and Intelligence agencies.