The Hindu : Farooq lashes out at Centre

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 02, 2002

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Farooq lashes out at Centre

By Our Correspondent

JAMMU APRIL 1. In a high-pitched attack on the Centre, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, today said the NDA Government had pursued policies which could never end terrorism in the State. Making a statement in the Assembly amid criticism by the Opposition for the failure of the State Government to protect innocent lives in the context of the recent militant attack on the Raghunath temple, Dr. Abdullah said, "we should not be blamed for this, it is the Central Government which is responsible."

Citing the Centre's negotiations with the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, he alleged ``every party, whether it is the Congress or the BJP, is against me and has collaborated in removing me and installing the Hurriyat — which is the supporter of militancy — in power," and claimed "if Farooq Abdullah and his party are removed, there will be no one in the State who is pro-India.''

Taking a dig at the Centre for not crossing the border and destroying the terrorist training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Dr. Abdullah said, ``gutno me dum hai nahin, agar hai to karo border cross (the Centre does not have the guts to cross the border). What for had India amassed troops on the borders, he asked, adding ``what are we waiting for... has the troop deployment put an end to terrorism in the country?'' On the contrary, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, was daring New Delhi to attack Islamabad.

Comparing India's stance with that of Israel, he said, ``see what Israel is doing. Did they seek advice from the U.S. and the United Nations when they attacked Palestine... why are we afraid to cross the border?"

Dr. Abdullah expressed his helplessness at putting an end to suicide attacks in the State and said no one could do anything when "people come prepared to die to kill innocent people. We can only minimise the extent of loss."

Appealing to the political parties not to make the Raghunath temple attack an issue, he said, ``we should not say anything which worsens the communal situation in the State. Terrorists are bent on whipping up communal passions and we should not fall in their trap.'' He called upon the people to set an example and said, ``Jammu and Kashmir is the State where Gandhiji had seen a ray of hope amid the 1947 riots and we must make sure that we behave in such a manner that communal harmony prevails in the State.''

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