This Article is From Oct 15, 2010

Choice of Kashmir interlocutors a dampener, says Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has lashed out at the Centre for its choice of Kashmir interlocutors calling it a useless exercise.

"Nomination of Kashmir interlocutors has dampened the hope. It is more or less a useless exercise," she said.

She said the all-party delegation that visited Kashmir did act as a temporary tranquiliser but the Centre is not really acknowledging the issues on the ground.

The government on Wednesday named three interlocutors, including eminent journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, to hold talks with all shades of opinion, including the separatists, in Jammu and Kashmir as part of efforts to bring peace in the state.

Besides Padgaonkar, Information Commissioner M M Ansari and noted academician Radha Kumar were the other two named by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram as interlocutors chosen in consultation with the state government.

The decision to appoint a set of interlocutors was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Manmohan Singh on September 25.
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