BJP, Hurriyat slam Kashmir interlocutors

India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday alleged that the three Kashmir interlocutors are supporting Hurriyat Conference?s stand, while the separatist group too slammed the panel and said it will only ‘linger’ the issues .

The three interlocutors, appointed by the Centre for Jammu and Kashmir to find out ways and means for negotiated settlements with the Kashmir leaders for peace in the state, began a visit from Srinagar on Saturday.

Journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and economist and Information Commissioner MM Ansari will stay in the Valley for a week and meet different political party leaders and the government ministers and the officials.

?What is the brief given to the Jammu &Kashmir interlocutors? What is the Pakistan dimension that the interlocutor is referring to?? questioned BJP national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday.

The BJP claimed that Padgaonkar, who heads the team, has commented, during ?an informal chat? with the media, ?We are here to look for a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue ?but a permanent solution is not possible without the involvement of Pakistan.?

Further clarifying, Padgaonkar reportedly added, ?Any attempt to have a comprehensive solution without Pakistan?s involvement is not possible. Pakistan has to be involved.?

?The BJP wonders if this is a part of the brief which has been given to the panel of interlocutors. The interlocutors are expected to engage with various citizens? groups to understand the ground realities, as it were. There is no doubt that they are expected to actively engage with the citizens from various quarters to elicit their views.

?But the comments made even as they are about to start their assignment is unnecessarily internationalizing the process,? said Sitharaman. ?Is this a part of the brief given or has he stepped beyond their (the panel?s) brief??

?These comments sound as if they are rationalizing Pakistan?s stand on its ?unfinished agenda? on Kashmir. Furthermore, it seems as if the panel is arguing for the Hurriyat angle in this matter. The BJP demands that the Prime Minister?s Office (PMO) should immediately clarify if this was part of the brief given to the interlocutors,? the BJP spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, in Srinagar Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he will not meet the interlocutors as they will ?linger? the Kashmir issue.

“Appointment of interlocutor will linger the Kashmir issue… there is no need to form a group… appointment of interlocutors is not going to serve any purpose and we are not going to meet them,” Farroq was quoted as saying by NDTV news channel.

On Sunday, the three interlocutors met stone-pelters at the central jail in Srinagar.

According to reports, the panel also met senior journalists Shujaat Bukhari and Fayaz Ahmad Kaloo and a delegation of Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha, an organization working for Gujjar community in Jammu & Kashmir.

The interlocutors are expected to meet Governor NN Vohra late evening after a ?casual? meet with Kashmiri youths at a coffee shop.