The panel of interlocutors appointed by the Centre on Kashmir on Sunday stated that they would recommend regional council for the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which are very different from both Kashmir and Jammu regions and are very backward, unexplored and untouched so far.
This was stated by chief interlocutor Dileep Padgaonkar while interacting with the media following panel’s interaction with various delegations at Rajouri where it (panel) reached this morning.
Responding to media queries about the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Mr Padgaonkar clarified that the mandate of the panel was “only up to Indian administered Kashmir and not for there (PoK).”
He informed that almost all the delegations, which met the panel members, opposed the division of state, trifurcation of J&K or separate state for Jammu. “The dominating opinion was that J&K should remain one unit only. Therefore, we would try to arrive at a political solution acceptable to all the three regions. And the premise of that solution would be supported by the pillars of democracy and secularism,” Mr Padgaonkar asserted.
Maintaining that the panel during interactions felt that Rajouri and Poonch are totally different from Kashmir and Jammu regions, he pointed out that the inhabitants of these two districts have different set of problems. “We would recommend regional councils for Rajouri and Poonch along with the decentralisation of power...,” he said.