Pak. cannot wrest Kashmir through terrorism: PM

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, AUG. 15. Firmly rejecting the contention that the militant violence in Kashmir was part of a `jehad'(holy war), the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today termed the killings of civilians unholy and un-Islamic. Delivering the customary Independence Day address from the Red Fort, he assured the nation that Islamabad's strategy of cross-border terrorism would be defeated, even though India would continue to engage Pakistan in a dialogue. ``Let no one entertain any delusion that Pakistan can succeed in wresting Kashmir, through jehad and terrorism, what it has failed to get through wars,'' noted Mr. Vajpayee matter-of-factly

This was Mr. Vajpayee's fourth Red Fort speech, first non- Congress Prime Minister to have the distinction. It was a brief - only 30 minutes - business-like speech, and though it was not as spectacular a performance as many of his admirers were hoping for, his spirited and animated speech must have disappointed the dissident camp with the BJP.

As expected, the Prime Minister repeated his by now familiar view of what went wrong at Agra. According to him, the Pakistan President ``came here with a single-point agenda to make India accept Pakistan's terms on Kashmir''. This, he told the nation, was not acceptable to him. Also, expectedly, the Prime Minister was conspicuously subdued in discerning any thaw in Pakistan's unhelpful stance.

However, he did address himself to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and acknowledged their ``pain and agony''. Significantly, he noted that when the election to the new State Assembly took place, ``we shall ensure free and fair elections''. The Prime Minister described ``Kashmiriyat'' as a ``fine example of the Sarva Dharma Samabhava (secularism). It completely negates the two-nation theory.'' These observations probably seek to influence the on-going debate within the separatist camp whether the ``struggle'' in Kashmir was a religious war or a fight for ``Kashmiri nationalism''.

N-E situation

Mr. Vajpayee also voiced concern over the situation in the northeast, and hoped the ``comprehensive peace process'' initiated in the region would bear fruit. Celebrating the country's multi-lingual and multi-religious diversities, he said the ``diversities are not our weakness''. The note of inclusiveness is, of course, at variance with his own party's preference for a majoritarian polity. Mr. Vajpayee also sought to salute the collective spirit displayed in dealing with natural calamities such as the earthquake in Gujarat and the Orissa cyclone.

Much of the Prime Minister's speech was devoted to the actual and perceived problems associated with the economic reforms. While asserting that the ``fundamentals'' of the economy were sound, and proceeding on the assumption that there were going to be second thoughts about the second generation of economic reforms, he acknowledged that the fruits of the experiment that began in 1991 had not been evenly distributed. ``Inequalities have increased. Therefore, after serious introspection, my Government has decided to give a new pro-poor, pro-village, and pro- employment orientation to our economy. We shall make necessary modifications in the policy to remove imbalances and social inequalities.''

WTO deal

The Prime Minister also noted the doubts and concerns on account of arrangements with the World Trade Organisation, and declared ``we are quite capable, depending on our needs, to impose or hike import duties and to check unfair imports.''

Wanting to rectify the adverse political consequences of bad economic policies and indifferent management, he announced a number of ``populist'' schemes, all aimed at wooing the vast majority of the electorate.

More than the WTO, the shadow of the recent financial scandals was discernible in Mr. Vajpayee's speech. He declared that ``the corrupt elements will not be able to escape the long arm of the law, irrespective of how high a chair they may occupy.'' He cited the ``introduction'', once again, of the Lok Pal Bill in the Lok Sabha as evidence of his regime's sincerity and integrity.

Most significantly, the Prime Minister, perhaps for the first time, talked of the outbreak of unethical habits and practices of the business community.

``Profits earned by hook or by crook cannot be the sole criteria for judging the success of a business. The success of liberalisation requires the steady development of a new corporate ethics.'' These are harsh words from a Prime Minister who all these last few years has most eagerly sought to cultivate the chambers of commerce.

Mr. Vajpayee ended with a little sermon on the need to balance freedom with responsibilities in a democracy. But, like the President in his on-the-eve-of Independence Day address, the Prime Minister too sought to dispel the notions of pessimism, and invited the country to have faith in its collective future and its collective efforts.

This was a politically important speech for the beleaguered Prime Minister. He had to demonstrate to the country at large that contrary to the whispers from within the Sangh Parivar, he had the requisite physical health and the intellectual stamina to preside over the Centre.

In the end, he did manage to convey the impression of a heading a Government that knew what needed to be done, if not exactly how to go about it.

New economic measures

The following are the economic measures announced by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, in his Independence Day address to the nation on Wednesday:

- Economic slowdown temporary; steps soon to reverse it.

- Action soon to reform capital markets and financial institutions.

- Economic policies to be given pro-poor, pro-village, pro- employment stance.

- Sampoorn Grameen Rozgar Yojana - Rs. 10,000-crore scheme to provide additional and guaranteed rural employment.

- Public sector banks to lend five per cent of net credit to women entrepreneurs - Rs. 17,000 crores over the next three years.

- Urban poor housing scheme for the benefit of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes and other weaker sections.

- Three lakh houses for armed forces on accelerated basis.

- Subsidised foodgrains for poor adolescent girls, expectant and nourishing mothers.

- Cheaper foodgrains for religious, social organisations undertaking mass-feeding programmes for poor.

- Farmers not to suffer due to WTO commitments.KNext year to be `Year of Implementation' - Rapid Action Force to oversee implementation of poverty-alleviation programmes.

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