NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

War is the only solution to Kashmir, says Farooq

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

A decisive war with Pakistan is the only way India can end the Kashmir turmoil.

That, from Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday. "The trouble will continue till India builds up courage to have a decisive war with Pakistan," he said at a press conference in Jammu.

The chief minister also said that strict action would be taken against the state government employees who have been on strike for the past five weeks.

"The people are suffering. The government cannot be a spectator to this situation," he said.

He described the stance adopted by the employees as "unreasonable," and said fresh recruitment would be ordered to negate the strike.

"The government will soon issue a white paper on the financial position of the state so that people know where we stand," Dr Abdullah said. "We had pleaded for suspending the agitation till the budget discussions are held next month with the Centre but that did not go down well with these people."

The CM, however, indicated that he was still open to negotiations. "While action against erring employees will be expedited, the doors for the employees are not closed," he said.

State Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather said that the government was not in a "position to pay the dearness allowance arrears in cash."

He added, "We had offered to release 50 per cent of the second Fifth Pay Commission instalments in cash and to remit the DA in their general provident fund accounts."

The state, Rather went on, was passing through a difficult phase in the wake of militancy: The salaries were just Rs 2.81 billion in 1988-89. By 1996-97 these had gone up to Rs 13.08 billion. Now, it is Rs 23 billion.

Security-related expenditure, including migrants' salaries, account for Rs 9 billion. The power subsidy has swelled to Rs 6.75 billion in the current financial year as against the Rs 550 million of 1988-89.

Rather echoed his chief minister's stand that the government would take appropriate action against striking employees. To date, 278 employees have been arrested, several suspended and prosecution is being sanctioned against some others, he added.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report