Major parties hail ceasefire extension

NEW DELHI, FEB. 21. Major political parties today welcomed the Government's decision to extend the unilateral ceasefire for the third time in Jammu and Kashmir and hoped that Pakistan would respond positively.

Opposition parties, however, were critical of the Government for its inability to use the ceasefire period to consolidate the peace process.

Welcoming the decision, the BJP vice-president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy, said all the parties had favoured extension of the ceasefire. ``Let us now hope that Pakistan realises its responsibility and reciprocates,'' he said.

Asked about the reported reservations expressed by a section of BJP leadership, he said the very fact that the ceasefire was extended by a month each time showed that the Government took the decision only after a thorough review,.

The Congress spokesman, Mr. Anand Sharma, said the CPP executive committee would meet early tomorrow to finalise its stand and make it known in Parliament.

The CPI(M) politburo member, Mr. Prakash Karat, said while his party welcomed the decision, the ``Government should come out with what it intends to do to initiate the political process. So far, there is no political input on matters like negotiations with Pakistan or its stance on the Hurriyat Conference.

The CPI(ML) general secretary, Mr. Dipankar Bhattacharya, said the ceasefire would become ``meaningful and effective only when it is backed by confidence-building measures.''

RSS welcomes, VHP opposes

The RSS and the VHP took diametrically opposite stands on the decision to extend the ceasefire with the former cautiously welcoming the move and the latter vehemently opposing it.

``If the extension can result in bringing the terrorist outfits to the negotiating table, the ceasefire is welcome," the RSS spokesman, Mr. M G Vaidya said.

The VHP senior vice-president, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, said his organisation was opposed to ``continuous experimenting'' which has led to killings of innocent citizens.

"We oppose the decision. The militant outfits are sponsored by Pakistan and they will never agree for peace,'' he said.

The Janata party president, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, criticised the decision saying it was ``not only wrong policy and appeasement of terrorism, but it has long term consequences of undermining India's sovereignty in Kashmir''.

``It is surprising that the Congress leader, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, after calling the Government's policy confused, has within 24 hours capitulated to endorse the ceasefire in the all-party meeting,'' he said in a statement.

- PTI

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