When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in Kashmir next week on a two-day visit,he will hold a darbar with the J-K Police and the Central Reserve Police Force a clear indication that the police is set to replace the Army in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir. Although the apparent reason for the PMs trip is to inaugurate the Anantnag-Kazigund rail link,the visit has huge political significance with the Centre looking ready to restart its direct negotiations with separatists. Sources said UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will accompany the Prime Minister and that the Centre was in touch with the Hurriyat to formulate the contours of the dialogue process. Former Union minister and Pradesh Congress president Saif-ud-din Soz told The Indian Express that the Prime Minister is expected to make a comprehensive statement on the dialogue process with the separatists. There is every possibility that the Prime Minister and Soniaji would send a concrete message for dialogue and peace from Kashmir itself, a senior J-K Congress leader said. It will be as important as the speech made by (former PM) Vajpayee sahib from Srinagar when he extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan and ended the freeze in the relations of the two countries. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,too,is referring to the Centre-separatist dialogue process in his public speeches. Addressing a function to commemorate the J-K Polices Martyrs Day on Wednesday,he said the dialogue with separatists this time will be taken to its logical conclusion. On the security front,there are strong indications that the Centre was planning to bring the police forces at the centrestage of the governments counter-insurgency operations. Last week,the Army pulled out two Rashtriya Rifles battalions from Handwara and Qazigund. The PM,too,would hold a darbar with both the police and the paramilitary forces. Ever since insurgency surfaced in 1990,darbars would only be held with the Army. Sources said this break in tradition is an indication that the role of the Army is being slowly and steadily decreased in Kashmir where militancy has sharply declined over the past few years. Sources said the Centre was also planning to pump in more resources to modernise the police force,which has been strengthened to 70,000 over the years. The PM will also hold a high-level meeting with the J-K government to take stock of the developmental work.
