Redeem the pledge

Sir, - This refers to the article ``The way forward on Kashmir'' by Ms. Malini Parthasarathy (Aug. 13). Her suggestion to grant autonomy of a special kind to Kashmir by going back to the 1952 position must be acceptable to the Government of India. It will redeem the obligations accepted by it at the time of the accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union. The Government should at least offer negotiations on the basis of the Kashmir State Assembly Resolution, modifying one or two conditions while conceding autonomy.

This will certainly not be ``putting the clock back'' as argued by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani.It will, on the contrary, mean a decisive forward movement because it is democratic and ethical and restores faith and builds confidence among the Kashmiri people. It will help put our house in order. At one stage, it may even lead to full integration through a meeting of minds. Otherwise, as Ms. Parthasarathy suggests, the Vajpayee Government's approach can only mean heading to disaster.

A. Venkateswarlu,

Guntur, A.P.

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Sir, - Ms. Parthasarathy's article is an excellent analysis of the factors connected with the Kashmir imbroglio. However, it appears there is scope for second opinion on some of her observations. There is no doubt that TADA and similar measures are draconian in nature. But the spurt in terrorism after the Agra summit would appear to demand some more enabling powers, to be used very sparingly.

Again, it is not known how the Hurriyat leaders who refused to talk to the Indian interlocutor, Mr. K.C. Pant, but sought audience with the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, can be termed men of reasonableness.The comparison of the Kashmir issue with the Sri Lanka Tamils issue is not correct. The Tamils of Sri Lanka have been fighting against their being treated as second-class citizens and for lack of equal opportunity, whereas the Kashmiris enjoy more than first-class citizens' status with greater privileges and advantages.

N.R. Sathyamurty,

Cuddalore, T.N.

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Sir, - In her article, Ms. Parthasarathy seems to question the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. The autonomy of the State is protected under Article 370 of the Constitution, with its unique status well-realised by the Government of the day. In these circumstances, to talk of the alienation of the Kashmiri people is wrong.

R. Krishnamoorthy,

Maraimalainagar, Chengalpattu

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