Centre-Hurriyat Dialogue?

Is there any engagement taking place between the centre and Hurriyat as reported by Deccan Chronicle? It is quite possible that there is. With either side staying short of denying the news, it is safe to assume that there might be some contact. And if so, one can't but welcome the development, and hope it leads to some concrete outcome. Hurriyat-centre dialogue has had a chequered past. Although the two have interacted frequently in the past, nothing was ever achieved. This is because the expectation of both the parties from the talks have been a polar opposite of each other. Centre wants Hurriyat to join the national mainstream and play a role as a mainstream political party, but Hurriyat has long harboured a secessionist goal.

After the abrogation of Article 370, which granted J&K a special position under the constitution, the complexion of things on the ground has drastically altered in the union territory. New Delhi will no longer engage with either Pakistan or any local entity in J&K over what was earlier regarded as a Kashmir issue. It has also by and large successfully overcome the political and armed separatist campaign within the union territory. This has transformed the situation, and, in a sense, rendering not just India-Pakistan dialogue redundant but the Centre-Hurriyat engagement too. More so, the latter. Only discussion that appears to have been left to do between the two is if and when Hurriyat joins the mainstream.

However, it is also not that Hurriyat is completely extinct. The organization's underlying idea, if not the organization itself, could still be a challenge for the centre to deal with. And it could be for this reason that the centre will certainly seek to engage with it. If this is sought to be done, it is a worthwhile cause. For decades, Kashmir has been mired in violence, political unrest, and a sense of alienation among its people, so a reported dialogue between the Centre and Hurriyat offers hope that the cycle of confrontation and mistrust can finally be broken.

The timing of this alleged dialogue is also crucial. The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir has changed beyond recognition over the past five years with the last year's assembly election creating an opportunity for a fresh start. By engaging with the Hurriyat, the Centre can address the sense of disenchantment among sections of the Kashmiri population and work towards rebuilding trust.

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