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Farooq opposes trifurcation of state

Any move to divide Jammu and Kashmir will prove disastrous for India, Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has warned.

The country, which has withstood all challenges, would disintegrate if any attempt was made to divide the state on communal lines, Abdullah said at a public meeting organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Awami League headed by militant-turned-politician Mohammad Yousuf Parray alias Koka Parray here, a stronghold of counter-insurgents.

In his 30-minute address in Kashmiri, Abdullah said those who talk of trifurcation were only executing the Dixon plan aimed at the division of the state on communal lines.

He said successive governments at the Centre were never sincere towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have seen only pain and agony for 50 years.

''The Centre never had faith on us. Even I was doubted as a Pakistani and a Khalistani agent by them (Centre) in the past,'' he said.

The chief minister said even after 50 years of independence, the people of the state were craving for clean drinking water, concrete roads and adequate electricity.

Unemployment has increased over the years, he added.

Abdullah reiterated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had joined the Indian Union and the state will remain part of India forever.

''We are poor but wanted to live with honour and dignity in India as we are not beggars,'' he said. ''The Centre should come to our rescue to rebuild the 'Naya Kashmir'.''

Abdullah said he and his party were not against the unilateral ceasefire, as claimed by some quarters. ''But at the same time, we have to see what is the relevance of this ceasefire when Pakistan is still sending militants and the killing of innocent persons is going on in the state.''

He, however, admitted that firing on the border had stopped and the people living there were for the first time feeling secure.

''We know how to answer Pakistan's proxy war, but we have reserved the right to reply and will use it on the right occasion,'' Abdullah said.

''We are not weak and we can demonstrate our might at the proper time, as was tested by our enemy during the Kargil war.''

Abdullah said he and his party were committed to peace and would support every effort in this direction.

The chief minister accused the Hurriyat leaders of double standards and said it was these people who had brought the gun in the state and now they wanted to visit Pakistan to persuade militants to shun the path of violence.

He said it was the All Party Hurriyat Conference, which had opposed the unilateral ceasefire of the Hizbul Mujahideen in August last year.

''The APHC is surviving because of militancy. If the Hurriyat leaders were allowed to visit Pakistan, will the militants listen to them and stop militant activities in the state,'' he asked.

Abdullah said about 70,000 people lost their lives and property worth crores of rupees had been destroyed in 10 years of militancy.

He appealed to militants to abjure violence and join the national mainstream and help rebuild the 'Naya Kashmir'.

The chief minister asked the foreign militants to leave the state so that people could lead a normal and peaceful life again.

''I want to tell Jamat-e-Islami people present at the public meeting that the gun culture has made life hell for the people of this state.''

''Those who said that one day Kashmir will become part of Pakistan should come out of this day-dreaming. India would drop bombs on us before leaving Kashmir,'' he added.

He warned that in the event of any conflict, India and Pakistan would target the people of the state.

''No Kashmir, not even Farooq Abdullah or Koka Parray will then survive,'' he said.

For a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue, the chief minister said: ''Let Pakistan keep what they have (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) but leave us alone so that both countries progress. Nobody knows who was behind all these massacres. Nobody knows whether it is this gun or that gun.''

On recent suicide squad attacks at Srinagar's airport and police control room, he said the security forces were equally capable to meet all challenges.

UNI

The Kashmir ceasefire: The complete coverage

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