BJP slams choice of non-political interlocutors on Kashmir

JAMMU - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday expressed surprise at the choice of the three interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir and wondered how they could deliver a roadmap for a political solution.

“We are surprised, rather shocked, at the choice of the interlocutors by Home Minister P. Chidambaram,” BJP general secretary Vijay Goel told reporters here.

“All of them are non-political. For a political solution, a political thinking and background are important,” he said.

The three interlocutors are journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, academic Radha Kumar and former information commissioner M.M. Ansari. Their selection has been widely slammed in Jammu and Kashmir.

Goel said his party wanted political personalities to play a role vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir, where a separatist campaign has left thousands dead since 1989. “Let them be from any party or parties.”