NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
An intelligence report submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs says if not implemented properly, chief minister-designate Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's proposed policies for Jammu and Kashmir could lead to a confrontation between the Centre and the state.
An official from the ministry said, "Nobody should misunderstand that there is any move on the part of the Centre to confront any state, least of all Jammu and Kashmir. Both the prime minister [Atal Bihari Vajpayee] and the deputy prime minister [Lal Kishenchand Advani] have assured that they will support the new government, but its policies should not be [construed as being] against those of the central government."
He said the Mufti's offer of unconditional talks with terrorists and pronouncements on helping the families of slain terrorists were a cause of worry to the Centre.
"He has talked about healing the psychological and mental scars of the Kashmiri people. But he has not breathed a word about the local policemen and anti-terrorist forces killed in the state. Peace in the state must be restored, but it cannot be at the expense of the Centre and the country's unity and integrity," he said.
He said the Mufti was banking on the Centre's help to rehabilitate children of terrorists and provide them education. "This is an irrational expectation and a tall order."
He referred to All Party Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat's recent statement [after meeting Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Jaleen Abbas Jilani] that despite the political scenario in the valley, New Delhi and Islamabad should resume dialogue.
"Pakistan is only concerned on focusing international attention on Kashmir and it is doing everything to keep cross-border terrorism alive. You cannot soften the issue by calling them militants. In these circumstances, how can the Centre overlook an elected government in J&K that talks about the upliftment of the militants and their families," he asked.
Arab countries were giving more than Rs 4,000 crore [approximately $825 million] to Pakistan to wage a war, he said, adding the Inter-Services Intelligence was appropriating more than 60 per cent of this amount to finance terrorism in J&K and other part of India.
The Centre would monitor the implementation of the J&K government's common minimum programme, he said, adding a confrontation was possible if some of the possible became "misdirected".
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
