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Kashmir dialogue process has to be broad-based, says Azad

Luv Puri

The new Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister,Ghulam Nabi Azad, is aware of the challenges facing the State. In an interview, he calls for including all sections in the dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute. He also speaks in favour of administrative reforms to make the State machinery more responsive to the needs of the under-developed areas. Excerpts:

— Photo: AP

Ghulam Nabi Azad: "My government's topmost priority is to address the physical and emotional needs of the people."

Your appointment as Chief Minister was preceded by a prolonged controversy, particularly in the media. What ultimately tilted the scales in your favour?

The party obviously decided to honour the sanctity of the agreement between the Congress and People Democratic Party after the 2002 Assembly elections. As for the media discourse on this issue, I never attached importance to it. Within the State there was a broad consensus that the agreement should not be violated. I got support from every section of the State. A Chief Minister of one of the most diverse States of the country has to respect the urges and aspirations of all the three regions of the State. Every identity existing in the State and within regions needs a healthy democratic channel and one has to be sensitive to this aspect. I do not attach much importance to the arguments being given against me by some write-ups in the media as there was no such thing on the ground. Logically and rationally the agreement was to be honoured and this has happened.

What is your road map for resolving the Kashmir issue? Is there going to be continuity with change?

Guidelines already exist in our common minimum programme drafted during the year 2002 and agreed [to] by all the coalition partners. There are people who are outside the electoral process; dialogue must continue with them. The dialogue has to be broad-based with the support of all diversities of the State and my task would be to seek the cooperation of every section of the population of the State. Dialogue is a process in which every region and community of Jammu and Kashmir should contribute to make it more effective and meaningful. The Government of India has already taken the initiative to hold talks with Pakistan and the Hurriyat Conference leadership. I hope the Centre will include more groups in the dialogue process and broaden its space factor.

What about strengthening the federal set-up in the State so that inter- and intra-regional tensions disappear?

I am aware of the complexity of the situation which exists here. Institutions have to be strengthened at every tier so that a feeling of neglect, whether at the regional or sub-regional level, does not exist. A process of decentralisation is important towards empowering the people right at the panchayat level as is prevalent in the rest of the country. The Government will do its utmost to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and the Ladakh regions, and will ensure the equitable distribution of resources without any discrimination on regional, religious, or caste basis.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri has been quoted as saying that while the spirit behind the opening of five posts along the Line of Control is to help the earthquake-affected people on both sides, it may also prove to be a big confidence-building measure on Kashmir.

Pahari-speaking families living along our side of the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were the bulk of the victims of the earthquake. Most of the families on both sides are related to each other. Besides providing relief to the quake victims, we are also providing them with an opportunity to share their grief with those who share their language and culture. The experience at Tetrinote village of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on 7th November where thousands of people were prevented by the Pakistan Army from coming close to our side eloquently demonstrates the strong urge of the people on both sides to meet each other.

My government's topmost priority is to address the physical and emotional needs of the people. At this stage we are primarily focussing on humanitarian aspect of the problem. If it helps in the confidence-building process it would be an incidental gain.

We are entering the 16th year of militancy in the State. How do you plan to deal with it?

There is a growing realisation among the people that violence is no solution to any problem. The sooner the militants realise it the better for them. The people of the State want peace, as they know that without it they cannot make progress in any field. While we would be firm in dealing with them, security forces have been directed to be extra cautious in avoiding collateral damage to any civilian.

Custodial deaths will be brought to zero but at the same time no compromise will be made with those who have destroyed the State at gunpoint.

What is your development agenda, particularly for the rural areas of the State?

Many areas of the State are under-developed and their development has to be taken up on a priority basis for all-round development to usher the State into a new era of khushali [prosperity], which will be free from violence and corruption ... The roots of militancy "are somewhere else" but eradication of corruption and mal-administration is in our hands and "we will try to eliminate them."

Good governance, peace and normalcy, equitable development of all the three regions, political stability, and fulfilling expectations of the people are some of the priorities of our Government. Instead of short-term, long-term measures will be taken for overall development of the State.

You have pruned your Ministry and there have been changes also on the administrative side. For instance, the working hours of the civil secretariat employees have been increased by two hours.

I am not in favour of a jumbo Ministry and even the continuance of portfolios given to the Council of Ministers is performance-based. Those with poor performance will be stripped of their posts and the portfolios will be allocated on the basis of performance. The administration is required to be fully geared at all levels in order to provide practical, transparent, honest, responsive, and pro-people governance with a definite aim to usher the State as a whole into a new era of progress, prosperity and peace. The government apparatus has to be sensitive to the problems of the remote areas of the State. Everybody has to work in a cohesive manner to transform Jammu and Kashmir into an ideal State symbolising peace and development. The challenge before me is to turn my vision into reality.

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Kashmir dialogue process has to be broad-based, says Azad

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