Centre may even initiate a dialogue with the separatists if violence stops and normalcy returns to the Valley, says a home ministry official.
New Delhi: The Centre is likely to extend the Ramzan ceasefire if the situation in the Kashmir Valley improves, a top home ministry official has indicated.
“The first 15 days of the ceasefire have been quite good. If everything goes well, the government will positively consider extending the ceasefire. It is highly recommended,” the official told ThePrint.
The BJP-led central government may also initiate talks with the separatist Hurriyat if normalcy returns to the Valley, the official said.
The Modi government announced the Ramzan ceasefire last month, directing the security forces to follow what is called “non-initiation of combat operations”.
“We are always keeping a close watch on Kashmir and the local recruitments (by militant groups) have also stopped in this short spell. There are elements with vested interests and they want to sabotage the peace process,” the official said.
On 29 May, India’s director general of military operations (DGMO) and his Pakistani counterpart also spoke and agreed that the ceasefire will not be violated on the international border and the line of control (LoC).
“If the ceasefire works within the Valley and the situation continues to be calm on the border, it is the most conducive time for holding a dialogue,” the official said.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh is likely to visit Kashmir in the first week of June to review the security situation in view of the Amarnath Yatra that begins later this month.
Talks with Hurriyat
The central government is keen on initiating a dialogue with the Hurriyat even as the latter criticised the Ramzan ceasefire decision calling it a “cruel joke”.
The separatist group claimed the halt in the counter-insurgency operations would remain only for the month of Ramzan and then the bloodshed would continue.
On 26 May, the home minister had said that the government was ready to hold talks with the Hurriyat leadership if the separatists came forward.
The separatists responded by saying that they were ready for talks but with riders.
“The government is in the process of engaging the Hurriyat in the dialogue process. It is going on…right now we are examining the statement of the Hurriyat,” the Centre’s interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma told ThePrint.
Sharma said their demand for recognising Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory is “never going to happen”.
“Indian Parliament has passed unanimous resolutions. And there is Simla Agreement… if any precondition is set on those lines, they may not be conducive for talks,” he said.
“Once they come to table, we can see their demands whether they are about releasing political prisoners or something else,” Sharma added.
Involvement of Pakistan
When asked if Pakistan should be part of the dialogue, he said, for any solution, Pakistan will be a party but it will not happen immediately.
“If everything moves in the positive direction, it will take a few years to get Pakistan involved,” he said.
“But we will not let our youth suffer and pick up guns until that happens. So there are two parts — one, we have to bring immediate relief to the people and the other is pursuing long-term goals.”