Abdullah draws flak for remarks on Kashmir solution
The Bharatiya Janata Party testily advised Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah to mind the affairs in his own state rather than giving ''uncalled for'' suggestion to prime ministers of both India and Pakistan to accept the Line of Actual Control as the international border to resolve the Kashmir imbroglio.
''The BJP takes exception to the statement, the third in the recent past by Farooq Abdullah, (and) asks him in what capacity he is advising the prime ministers of both countries,'' said party national vice president K L Sharma.
Former prime minister and BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee also said that India should not relinquish its claim on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir are an integral part of India,” he said, pointing out that the last parliament had adopted a resolution demanding that Pakistan withdraw from the territory. “Farooq has no business to say anything on the issue,” he said.
Sharma said Abdullah was exceeding his limits and that his advice to the prime minister was ''highly objectionable''. Abdullah had made the statement at Jammu, Chhindwara and Delhi. Perhaps Abdullah had forgotten that he himself was keeping seats in the assembly vacant, to be filled in by representatives from PoK, Sharma said.
Sharma hinted that Abdullah's repeated outbursts had raised doubts whether he was making them at the behest of Prime Minister Deve Gowda himself, who had also said recently that India was ready to accept ''minor adjustments'' to resolve issues with Pakistan and have cordial relations.
Abdullah faced more flak from Congress legislator Mehbooba Mufti, who claimed that he had handed the “Jammu province to the state chief secretary, Kashmir valley to the amy and the Ladakh region to god.” She said the Centre and state should respond positively to the All-Party Hurriyat Conference offer to resolve the Kashmir issue through talks, adding that Abdullah's government were not interested in solving the people's problems.
Meanwhile, the regional autonomy committee set up by the Jammu and Kashmir government last November has started collecting reports, other published material and relevant statistical information, Information Committee Secretary V N Gupta said. Various political parties, organised groups, experts and knowledgeable persons are being considered as crucial to the study, he said.
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