No one party represents J&K: Vohra

The Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra on Tuesday said no single party can claim to be the sole representatives of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference on the conclusion of his weeklong visit to the valley, he said those who braved bullets to participate in the last assembly election are important in their own right.

He, however, criticised the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference for the refusing to meet him and said that in the coming days he will try and find an appropriate resolution to the APHC's non-participation in the dialogue process.

When asked if he felt disheartened over reports that the Hurriyat was going to hold talks with the Kashmir Committee led by former Union law minister Ram Jethmalani and not him, Vohra replied in the negative and said, "I have been nominated by the government. If they [Hurriyat] meet the Kashmir Committee and achieve a breakthrough, I have no objections."

He said the process cannot be completed until the dissidents, the angry and the unhappy have been heard and their problems discussed. "Having made up a broad framework as to how I must proceed with the task, I issued a press release inviting all those having a vested interest in the problem to come and talk to me. I do not share or support the view that those elected in the elections were irrelevant."

Vohra said in the last seven days in the valley, he met 30 organisations and 130 individuals including those who participated in the last elections.

"I also met representatives of Hindus, Sikhs, trade union leaders, eminent citizens and editors," he said. "As the dialogue process proceeds further it will be for people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine whether they are served by those who don't participate in dialogue process.

"My dialogue process includes, militancy, cross border terrorism, the perpetual disturbances of peace and harmony, the functioning of security forces, consequences of operation of security forces the alienation that comes about because of the continued disturbed situation, unemployment. All these issues have to be looked at, discussed."

In reply to a question on the ceasefire Vohra said that the ground realities are what they are. "There have been ceasefires in the past and if need be there would be more in the future, but the basic point is whether it will actually help the situation."

Vohra said that during his visit he felt the people of Kashmir were disenchanted with 'gun culture' and wanted to see the restoration of peace and normalcy. "People here want to lead a peaceful life, want employment and no harassment from either side."

The former bureaucrat disagreed that Kashmir was a political problem and said, "It is more than a political problem linked with other issues like unemployment and economic development. The solution of the issue cannot be found in one go."

He said the telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart Zafarullah Khan Jamali will have a positive impact on his Kashmir mission.

With inputs from PTI