Update: GoI’s representative to understand ‘legitimate aspirations’ in JK

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New Delhi: The former IB chief Dineshwar Sharma, who was appointed by the New Delhi as “government of India’s representative to Kashmir” has been tasked to “understand the legitimate aspirations of the wide cross sections of society, particularly the youth in Jammu and Kashmir and communicate them to the State Government and the Centre.”

25 years after his first posting for the intelligence bureau in the Kashmir Valley, Sharma in the capacity as the “Representative of Government of India” will “initiate and carry forward” a dialogue with the “elected representatives, various organizations and concerned individuals in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Sharma will initiate a sustained interaction and dialogue to understand the legitimate aspirations of the wide cross sections of society, particularly the youth in Jammu and Kashmir and communicate them to the State Government and the Centre,” reads an official communiqué by the GoI.

The move comes in the wake of various steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the needs of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said.

“It may be recalled that during his visit to Srinagar on November 7, 2015, the Prime Minister had announced a package of Rs 80,068 Crores for the overall development of the State. He has also met the leaders of political parties from time to time and received suggestions with regard to the issue of peace and development in J&K.”

In continuation of this process, the official release said that in his address to the 15 August this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned that, “Neither by bullet, nor by abuses but by embracing we can solve the problem of Kashmir”.

Subsequently, Home Minister Rajnath Singh also visited Jammu and Kashmir from September 9-12, 2017 and met a “large number of delegations” from wide spectrum of the society, it said.

Dineshwar Sharma is a Retired IPS officer from 1979 Batch of Kerala Cadre. During his career, he has served in J&K, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur and as Additional Director and Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau in the Headquarters.

It was May 1992. Militancy was at its peak and Sharma, then 36, arrived in Srinagar after completing a year of customary training at the Intelligence Bureau headquarters in New Delhi.

“He has in-depth understanding of security related matters and considerable knowledge and experience of issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir,” the official statement added.