By IRNA,
Srinagar, India : A panel of interlocutors appointed by New Delhi said today that they were trying to bring all the people with varied aspirations under single umbrella for reaching a consensus on Kashmir.
Three-member group of interlocutors visited southern Pulwama and central Budgam districts where they interacted with a number of political, social and religious delegations, an official spokesman said.
Earlier upon their arrival here interlocutors, who also include academician Radha Kumar and former Central Information Commissioner M M Ansari, met State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The interlocutors are on their eighth visit to the state after they were appointed by the government of India towards the end of the summer unrest in Kashmir, which left at least 117 people dead.
Talking to reporters, Dileep Padgaonkar, journalist who heads the panel, said that they have met over four thousand people in their visits to the state so far.
“We are still working out the minds of the people. There are diverse aspirations in regions and we are trying to bring all of them under a single umbrella to move forward,” he said.
The interlocutors appointed to find a political solution to the Kashmir problem arrived in Srinagar on Sunday last.
The team which was given one year to submit a report to the New Delhi have so far submitted six interim reports to the Central government in which they have recommended release of political prisoners and students held on charges of stone pelting, end to arrests of youths for participating in last year’s protests and removing paramilitary bunkers from some residential areas of the capital city.
As part of their recommendations, the government has removed 40 bunkers from various parts of the city and many second rung pro-freedom leaders have been released.
However, a large number of people including youth continue to remain behind bars in the state. Centre’s interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir today said they were working closely with the state government to ensure that calm and stability prevails in the state.