The Government of India’s interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma has said that in order to initiate any political discourse in the Kashmir Valley, sentiments have to be addressed and the level of violence has to brought down.
Sharma, who the former IB Chief, told the Indian Express ,” The biggest challenge in Kashmir today is to calm down the sentiments of the people, particularly youth.”
Sharma is said to have persuaded New Delhi to announce the Ramzan Ceasefire in the valley after the proposal came from the state government.
“The other issues which need priority attention are how to prevent local youth from joining militancy; how to ensure the return of youth who have already joined; convince the youth that violence and gun will not bring solution to any problem but will only add to the miseries…; and, how to restore harmony between people of different communities living in all three regions of J&K.”
He made these remarks days ahead of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to J&K — it starts June 7 — during which he will review, among other scenarios, the suspension of security operations for Ramzan.
“Unless we are able to address sentiments and bring down violence, it will be difficult to think about any political dialogue, any political solution. First, we have to somehow ensure that peace comes. Only then can any political dialogue start. So let us first address the sentiment and bring down tempers,” Sharma said.
