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Outcome of Advani J&K statement a foregone conclusion

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The outcome of Union Home Minister L K Advani's statement today that the Centre would consider the resolution on autonomy, adopted by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, was a foregone conclusion -- it will peter out into nothingness.

"Advaniji is a senior minister of this government and his statement on the Centre's consideration of J&K autonomy cannot be taken lightly. However, it is known that Advaniji reiterated recently that the Vajpayee government was willing to consider autonomy for J&K provided the parties concerned are willing to discuss the issue within the framework of the Constitution. This does not seem to go down well with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and his National Conference party. It will fizzle out into nothingness," asserted BJP national secretary Syed Mukhtar Naqvi.

Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president K Jana Krishnamurthy was more forthright. "Our party is opposed to autonomy for J&K as it will open the floodgates for similar demands from other states. In Jammu and Ladakh, people are opposed to it and, therefore, the Centre will have to weigh the issue carefully before taking any decision. However, the National Democratic Alliance government headed by Vajpayeeji has been unambiguous that the unity and integrity of the country cannot be jeopardised under any circumstances. The issue is likely to be rejected by Parliament," averred Krishnamurthy.

He dismissed the stance of various opposition parties, including the Congress, as "political compulsions mingled with opportunism".

"Opposition parties like the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxists) and even the Congress have been talking about exploring the possibility of more autonomy to J&K. This is easier said than done. It is the NDA which is in power at the Centre and it is responsible for the nation's unity and integrity. If you concede the demand of one state for greater autonomy, it is natural for others to follow," Krishnamurthy pointed out.

Significantly, former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra demanded that Punjab be granted autonomy, since Jawaharlal Nehru had said that the state was entitled to greater autonomy anywhere in north India.

Senior BJP leader Jagdish Prasad Mathur, who had underscored the party's opposition to autonomy for J&K yesterday, referred to Tohra's demand for autonomy.

"You cannot open a Pandora's box by conceding the autonomy demand of one state as others will join in. Yesterday it was J&K, today it is Punjab, tomorrow it can be states in the northeast and south. What happens to the unity and integrity of the country," Mathur asked, adding that no states were likely to get autonomy if it affected the country's unity and integrity.

At his press conference today, Advani pointed out that "the biggest threat to India's internal security today is the proxy war unleashed against us by our western neighbour (Pakistan). This proxy war has its origin in our enemy's realisation that they cannot match India's might in an open war, and therefore, its revised strategy ought to be based on infiltration and subversion, terrorism and religious fundamentalism."

The minister went on to underscore that India regarded state-sponsored terrorism as a "curse to entire humanity".

Meanwhile, ministry of home affairs officials indicated that the government is likely to await similar demands for autonomy from other states. Once more such demands surfaced and the J&K resolution was forwarded to the Centre for consideration, the matter would be "shot down" in view of the inherent threat it posed to the nation's unity and integrity, they pointed out.

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