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Place J&K under President's rule, says Mufti

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI April 25. Even as the run-up to the Jammu and Kashmir elections in autumn is gaining momentum, the J&K People's Democratic Party president, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, today demanded that the State be placed under President's rule as, he said, it would ``help restore people's confidence in the electoral process''.

He told reporters here that elections had been free and fair whenever the State was under President's rule, and the last election was a striking illustration.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, should not hesitate to step down, considering that he had been professing to be a nationalist, he said. ``For the sake of the country, he must step down, particularly since only a few months are left for the polls.''

The Mufti said that all political parties were of the opinion that the polls would not be free and fair if held under the National Conference regime.

``Even the BJP, which is a close ally of the NC, had levelled serious allegations of rigging in the recent Parliamentary by-elections for the Jammu seat.''

If the polls were conducted under President's rule, some separatist groups may participate.

Even the Hurriyat leader, Abdul Ghani Lone, had said that the separatist organisations would not be averse to participating if the Government guaranteed fair elections.

Asked about the package of incentives announced by the Centre on Wednesday for promoting industrial development, he said it would serve no purpose as there was hardly any climate for investment in the State, given the security situation.

On the contrary, the Government should come out with a scheme to provide jobs to the unemployed youth by expanding the activities of the Central PSUs and through recruitment to the paramilitary forces.

He also wanted the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to discuss with all parties and evolve a national consensus on the Kashmir issue. The people were fed up with militancy and wanted peace.

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