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Advani's presence at RSS meet not a problem: Farooq Abdullah

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K S Sudarshan's call to indigenise Islam and Christianity may cause secular parties within the National Democratic Alliance to sit up and rethink about continuing in the alliance, according to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Notably, Dr Abdullah said Home Minister L K Advani's presence at the RSS camp in Agra was not an issue. "He is a balanced man who has had his breeding in RSS ideology, but we do not have problems with him," he said.

Speaking to newspersons in Delhi on Friday, Abdullah said that Sudarshan's statement cannot be taken lightly. "NDA partners are in touch with each other. India is a secular country and anyone trying to change its structure would do more harm than good. You cannot say that only one religion will grow and deny the same rights to others," he said.

"I will take up the matter with the prime minister once he returns to Delhi," he added.

He ruled out the possibility of announcing a unilateral ceasefire by the government of India as suggested by Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. " He was a fool to have announced a unilateral ceasefire. We have made it clear that we cannot talk unless Pakistan stops aiding and abetting terrorism," he said.

He said the ground level situation in J&K was much better than what it was a month back. "We have things under control for the timing being, but you can never say what might happen next," he said.

He denied there was rampant corruption in J&K, particularly at the ministerial level. "How can there be corruption when there is no money to spend? It is becoming difficult to pay salaries to the employees. Those who make such allegations do not know the reality," he claimed.

He invited militant groups and other political outfits to come forward and take part in elections in the state. "We are going to hold panchayat elections in January next year. I want almost all the political outfits to take part in these elections," he said.

He said the state government was ready to give more autonomy to Jammu and Leh so that the people of these regions do not feel that the Kashmiris were dominating them. "However, this can happen only when J&K gets more autonomy," he said.

Dr Abdullah said the country needs a new Constitution based on the federal structure. "We need a Constitution that would give more power to the states," he said.

"We need a presidential type of government where defence, foreign affairs and communication remains with the Centre and the rest go to the states. I am keeping finance out of the preview of the Union government because the 1952 talks between Jammu and Kashmir and the Government of India did not cover this aspect," he explained.

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