New Delhi, March 20, KNT: Former chief of India’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Amar Singh Dulat, on Thursday said that the statement made by Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq indicates that he would like to see Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister of India.
Speaking to a Srinagar-based news gathering agency Kashmir News Trust, Dulat said the remark should be viewed in the broader context of resolving the Kashmir issue.
He said there was “no doubt” that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made notable progress on the Kashmir issue compared to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
“There was a lot of development on the Kashmir issue during NDA rule. I was myself the adviser of Vajpayee and I know he was interested in resolving the issue,” Dulat said.
According to him, the policies adopted during Vajpayee’s tenure had opened avenues for dialogue and engagement with various stakeholders in Kashmir.
He said the UPA government, however, did not continue those policies and that the past decade had seen little progress on the issue.
“Unfortunately, the UPA government relinquished those policies, and as a result there has been no major breakthrough over the last ten years,” he said.
Dulat added that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, being a prominent religious and political figure in Kashmir, has a significant role in the dialogue process.
“Mirwaiz has his own stature and being the religious head, the Government of India has always been interested in engaging him in dialogue,” he said.
The former intelligence chief said he believes the NDA government has the potential to bring separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to the negotiating table.
“I believe that NDA has the potential and ability to bring all separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz, on the table. If that happens in the near future, it could yield positive results,” he said.
Dulat also said that if the people of Kashmir believe that the NDA government can deliver a solution to the Kashmir issue, then it may be beneficial for all stakeholders if the alliance forms the government in New Delhi.
He said the political developments should be seen in the context of reviving the dialogue process that had been initiated during Vajpayee’s tenure. [KNT]
