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NDA not very optimistic on summit

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The ruling National Democratic Alliance appears divided over the outcome of the Agra summit with the Sangh Parivar warning Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee not to concede "an inch of ground" in Jammu & Kashmir.

Anant Gite, leader of the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha, said, "We have to await the outcome of the summit. But we have made it clear that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India, a fact that the government cannot lose sight of."

When reminded that all political parties in the country were united on this issue, Gite retorted, "All that is fine, but our party has a moral duty in emphasizing the ground realities to dispel any impression that Kashmir can be made an object of give and take."

He agreed that given India and Pakistan's stands on the subject, it was futile to expect any 'dramatic result'. "Any euphoria on the outcome of the summit ought to be dispelled because there is no way India can make concessions on Kashmir," he said.

Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray also warned in the party's organ Saamna against handing over Jinnah House in Bombay, the erstwhile residence of the Father of Pakistan, for reopening that country's consulate.

Senior Samata Party politician and former Union defence minister George Fernandes also said expectations from the summit would be premature.

"The ground realities of the issues involved are complex and need more time for a possible solution than just a day's meeting between the two leaders. I think any major breakthrough is a remote possibility although I support the prime minister's initiative," he said.

Referring to Siachen, Fernandes said Kargil had taught New Delhi a "valuable lesson" and it was unlikely that "any quick-fix solution" on the dispute would emerge.

Vinay Katiyar, Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Faizabad, said "the question of giving concessions to Gen Musharraf on Kashmir does not arise. I don't think our prime minister would even contemplate such a step. Until and unless Pakistan takes concrete measures to stop cross-border terrorism, any meaningful discussion on Kashmir is a futile exercise."

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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