J-K: Differences among interlocutors delay report

The biggest bone of contention within the three-member panel has been the direction that the committee should take.

Ever since they were appointed interlocutors last year to hold sustained dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir,journalist Dileep Padgaonkar,former Central Information Commissioner M M Ansari and academic Radha Kumar have repeatedly taken pot-shots at each other,sometimes privately,and,sometimes not so privately.

Such was the acrimony between them that Kashmir observers and Jamp;K officers,who interacted with them on a regular basis,often suggested,tongue-in-cheek,that the Government of India should appoint a fourth interlocutor this one to help resolve differences between the trio. Incidentally,for most part,it was Ansari,the man now being accused of a smear campaign by Radha Kumar,who used to play mediator between Kumar and Padgaonkar.

The biggest bone of contention within the three-member panel has been the direction that the committee should take. It is learnt this is the main reason that the final and much-awaited report of the team has still not been finalised.

Recently,in mid-July,during a conference in Jammu,when Radha Kumar tried to cut Ansari short in the middle of his speech,a miffed Ansari asked her what her problem was? One of the participants at the conference told The Indian Express,We could all see that there was some bitterness among the interlocutors. Maybe,Ansari was unhappy with the other two interlocutors trying to hog all the limelight.

Matters reached such a pass that Radha Kumar got up to leave the conference mid-way but was persuaded not to go.

Sources said Jamp;K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself brought to the Centres notice the visible lack of bonhomie between the interlocutors. He also wanted the Centre to ask the trio to stop making too many over-the-top statements.

In November last,upset with the remarks made by Padgaonkar and Radha Kumar,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram asked them to be cautious in their comments and to not give a ball-by-ball commentary.

Story continues below this ad

Sources said the three are also divided on whether they should recommend constitution of regional councils with vast powers for the Jammu and Ladakh regions in order to deal with the issue of discrimination with these two regions vis-a-vis the Kashmir region.

On Tuesday,asked whether the final report would be submitted anytime soon in light of Radha Kumars resignation from the panel,Padgaonkar said,I have spoken to her. She is not disassociating with the panel. I am certain all three of us will work together to finish the job given to us.

Ansari took a similar line,saying,I am not sure why Radha is unhappy. All that I have said was that people like us who are handling jobs of national importance should be open about their links. Nothing should be kept out of public domain. I have not criticised any of my colleagues. We will finish the task given to us.