Talks soon on greater autonomy: Farooq

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, AUG. 28. The ruling National Conference (NC) will soon start negotiations with the Centre on the issue of restoring greater autonomy to the State, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, said here today. He would also meet the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, in the backdrop of his statement on elections.

After visiting a mini-lake deweeded by the State police at the Botanical Gardens here this evening, Dr. Abdullah told reporters that the Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir, Mr. K.C. Pant, would convene a meeting to discuss the autonomy issue. He would be assisted by senior party leaders in the talks.

Asked whether the autonomy resolution passed last year by the State Assembly would form the basis for the dialogue, he said ``we will discuss all the aspects of the issue''. He said he would also meet the Prime Minister even as he has made it clear that he was misunderstood on the statement on elections. ``I am going to Delhi, but I do not think it can materialise before meeting the National Development Council.''

Dr. Abdullah said that as of now he had no differences with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). ``The NDA convener, Mr. George Fernandes, spoke to me before the meeting and I told him that I cannot attend it because of the demise of my Cabinet colleague,'' he said adding: ``I conveyed to him how I felt about the statements made by Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Advani''. Dr. Abdullah said a code was being formulated for all the NDA members so that ``discrepancies witnessed in the last few days are not repeated''. The central leadership should not make mistakes by giving such statements. ``They should strengthen my hands in fighting the war here.''

Some Hurriyat Conference leaders were ready to participate in elections. That was why, he said, the central leadership had issued statements of ``free and fair'' elections to appease them. ``I will be the happiest person if they (Hurriyat leaders) fight the elections and let us see for whom the people vote,'' he said. At the same time, the Chief Minister said he did not deny that elections were rigged before 1977. ``In 1983 the entire India was against me, but I got elected with a clear majority. In 1987, the Muslim United Front fought elections on religious slogans.''

Meanwhile, the NC provincial president, Mr. G.N. Shaheen, has reiterated the demand for restoring autonomy. He said this was the only solution to fight alienation. ``The time is such that the national flag is flying only over the civil secretariat and high court buildings.

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