Sushma Swaraj, Ram Madhav condemn Interlocutors? Report

BJP, RSS, VHP dharna at Jantar Mantar

“The language of the Interlocutors’ Report is the language of the separatists. It questions the laws which make J&K an integral part of India. It speaks about human rights violation of terrorists but has failed to include the voices of those who have been the real sufferers like those who have migrated from Pakistan,” said Leader of Opposition Smt Sushma Swaraj while addressing a dharna at Jantar Mantar on July 16. The dharna was organised by Jammu-Kashmir People’s Forum to protest against the Interlocutors’ Report. About 3,000 people participated in the dharna.

Terming the contents of the interlocutors’ report as “anti-constitutional” Smt Swaraj rejected it saying that it was against the Parliament’s resolution that declared even the Pak-occupied Kashmir as an integral part of India. “The report calls the PoK as Pak Administered Kashmir (PaK). It is the same language which was used by Musharaff. Why the interlocutors are using the same language is the matter which needs investigation. It is also objectionable to call the State just Kashmir as its complete name is Jammu & Kashmir. The report is an insult to the sacrifice made by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee,” she said.

RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh Shri Ram Madhav said, “The report is against the spirit of non-negotiable integration of Jammu & Kashmir with India in 1947. Mirpur, Muzaffrabad and Gilgit are ours. This report has included only sentiments of leaders of Kashmir Valley. A report should have the sentiments in it, but it should not be against the Constitution,” he said. He alleged the interlocutors’ report is an attempt to include the voices of those who do not have respect for the Constitution. They have failed to put versions of the refugees, the Kashmiri Pandits, who have been forcefully evicted from their land.

Shri Ramesh Raina, general secretary of All India Kashmir Samaj, said Kashmiri Pandits are indigenous to the State. But the report does not say how the sufferings and victimisation of Pandits can be stopped. “Central to the problem of Jammu & Kashmir is the issue of Kashmiri Pandits, their non-recognition and their non-assimilation into the mainstream,” he said adding that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had in its report said that atrocities against Kashmiri Pandits were akin to the genocide.

Terming the interlocutors’ report as one that divides the country, Vishwa Hindu Parishad central secretary Dr Surendra Jain said a whopping Rs 96.5 crore was wasted by the three-member team during their visit to 22 villages. Objecting to the use of word ‘stakeholders’ in the report, Dr Jain said the word itself is laced with mischief. He said the report states if stakeholders are ready, the problem of Kashmir can be solved by involving Pakistani authorities. He questioned whether this was not an open invitation to Pakistan to intervene in India’s affairs. The three-member interlocutors’ team consisting of Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M M Ansari was appointed by the Union government on October 13, 2010. The panel submitted its final report to the Home Ministry earlier this year which made it public, on its website, on May 24.

BJP national general secretary Shri Vijay Goel, Delhi state president Shri Vijendra Gupta, former Leader of Opposition Prof Jagdish Mukhi, RSS Delhi Prant Sanghachalak Shri Kulbhushan Ahuja, and many other eminent personalities were present at the dharna. After the dharna, copies of the interlocutors’ report were also burnt.              (FOC)