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J&K polls will be free and fair: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 11. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today described as "largely cosmetic'' the promised crackdown on terrorists in Pakistan and an end to the export of terror to India that was to follow the January 12 speech of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, and said that India was determined to "cut through this vicious circle of violence and ensure that the coming elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are not only free and fair but also include every shade of public opinion that wishes to be involved in the democratic process.''

In his address at a function here this evening to give away the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) awards, the Prime Minister said the promised action from Pakistan was only cosmetic and not sustained because India was witnessing increased incidents of terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and by the acts of terrorism prompted by the Inter-Services Intelligence in other parts of the country.

"As the snow melts in the Himalayan mountain and the Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces seek a new outlet for their activity, infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir has seen a further increase. This has had direct consequences for the violence in the State. In March and April this year, there have been nearly 300 incidents each and 600 people have tragically lost their lives to terrorism in these two months. Even in the first 11 days of May, we have had 80 violent incidents with about 110 lives lost,'' Mr. Vajpayee told the gathering of eminent scientists.

Making the Government's position clear about the elections in J&K, the Prime Minister said not only would they be free and fair but every shade of public opinion that wished to be involved in the democratic process would be included. The Prime Minister also drew attention to the gruesome events of September 11 last year and their aftermath which demonstrated the unconventional techniques and weaponry in the service of terrorism today.

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