Govt rethinks,puts off appointing interlocutors

However,the decision not to extend the term of former home secretary K Padmanabhaiah as the Centre’s interlocutor for Nagaland was taken earlier this month. Padmanabhaiah had been talking to various factions of Naga rebel groups for more than a decade. In the case of Jammu and Kashmir,the post of interlocutor has been lying vacant since N N Vohra was moved and made the state’s governor last year.

Sources said the government earlier planned to appoint the interlocutors by the end of August and had even shortlisted a few candidates,most of them retired bureaucrats,for the jobs. However,there has been a rethink in the Home Ministry since over what could be achieved by the interlocutors. There is a feeling now that talks involving interlocutors have succeeded more in buying time than achieving any real breakthrough.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is said to be more in favour of having the Home Ministry directly involved in any dialogue process with political groups in these states. A final decision on the matter would be taken after consultation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,sources said.