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Fernandes rules out plebiscite in Kashmir

A plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir is ruled out as it is too late in the day, Defence Minister George Fernandes said on Tuesday.

He was speaking to reporters after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated a two-day exhibition of captured weapons and equipment from militants in Jammu and Kashmir at the Parliament Annexe in New Delhi.

''We have come far beyond the point when the United Nations decision (on plebiscite) was taken and from where we are today, plebiscite is out of the question,'' the defence minister said categorically while answering a volley of questions.

Replying to another question on the end of proxy war, Fernandes said, ''The two prime ministers (Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharief of Pakistan) are meeting in Colombo this month-end and will discuss ways and means to achieve this.''

Responding to a question on the timing of the holding of this exhibition in view of the coming Vajpayee-Sharief talks at Colombo, the defence minister said, ''Any time is a good time'' as the talks will not alter the situation being faced by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir today.

The defence minister agreed to a suggestion that the holding of the exhibition was a step forward in the government's ''pro-active'' policy on Jammu and Kashmir, as it was expected to trigger an informed debate in Parliament, within the country and elsewhere in the world at large.

Fernandes also said militancy in the valley was on its last legs, as he had himself discovered during his visits to the state after assuming charge as defence minister.

''More Indian tourists are there, more foreign tourists are there and more pilgrims are going there,'' he said.

He disagreed with a suggestion that the large number of casualties suffered by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir last year were indicative of a different tale.

He said the number of casualties was demonstrative of the fact that a more determined collective effort had gone into combating militancy in the state.

The defence minister also did not reject a suggestion that non-government individuals could be involved in sorting out the problems with Pakistan, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir issue. ''It is a good suggestion,'' he remarked in reply to a poser.

The defence minister said ''improving'' was not the word to describe the situation in the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir

The situation is fairly normal in certain areas and very normal in other areas, and this fact was demonstrative from the increasing number of tourist arrivals in the sate, he said.

On a question on Pakistan's debt crisis, Fernandes said a stable Pakistan was imperative in the interest of stability in the South Asian polity.

The defence minister expressed hope that Pakistan was able to stand up to the sanctions and face the situation boldly.

Fernandes, who has taken the initiative in organising the display, said he was taken aback by the ground reality as witnessed by him during his visit to the state and then decided that the rest of the country and the world had also to be told about the prevailing situation.

He also said Films Division was making a film on the subject and it would be available for screening in about a week's time.

He said suggestions had come for organising the exhibition at a public place like India Gate and other places all over the country and a decision would be taken in due course depending on the security implications.

UNI

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