Separatists non-engagement will make no difference to report

He was replying to questions about the failure of interlocutors to rope in separatists for talks and the incomplete report arising out of it.

Padgaonkar,further,said the panel has taken into account the points of separatists and Hurriyat Conference. “We wanted to get a greater elaborations on these points which would have been possible by talking to them,” he said.

“We are aware about the proposals separatists have made during the past ten years. We are aware of proposals of Yasin Malik of JKLF,proposals of Muslim Conference,Sajjad Lone’s Peoples Conference and various other groups of the separatists constituency,” Professor Kumar said.

Replying on query about the efforts being made to bring separatists for talks,Padgaonkar said,”We have said right from the word go that we want to engage separatists. The reason why they are not engaged with us have to be given by them not by us”.

“I request to direct this question to the separatists not us,” the head of the interlocutors said.

“We reiterate that even at this hour if there is any sign that we get from the separatists that they wish to talk to us,we shall be pleased to do so anywhere,anytime and under any condition,” Padgaonkar said.

Referring to the credibility of the report without the separatists talking to them,he said,”that is entirely for the people of J-K to decide. We have tried our best to reach out to them. We have stretched our hand to them but they did not respond and you should ask them.”

The panel had met 700 delegations in J-K and reached to the people across the board,he said.

“In terms of gauging opinion of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,our exercise has been exhaustive,” he said.

“We have interacted with the government continuously for past 11 months and at no point anyone told us not to cross this or that line,” Padgaonkar said.

“Our reports which we have submitted after every visit have been unanimous and the final report will also be unanimous.”

On the interaction with the General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C),Lt Gen K T Parnaik,Padgaonkar said “we held deliberations on security situation. Gen Parnaik told us that in relation to summer of 2010,the situation has been certainly far more upbeat.”

“At the same time,he stressed that this return to peace and normalcy can be jeopardised if the terror infrastructure in Pakistan is not dismantled,” he said.

“So long as that infrastructure is intact,we will have to be on guard that was the core message he gave.”