The Hindu : Border situation tense, challenging: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 24, 2002

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Border situation tense, challenging: PM

By Luv Puri

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, at a press conference in Srinagar on Thursday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

Srinagar May 23. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today described the condition on the border with Pakistan as tense and challenging and said India would not let Pakistan carry on with its proxy war any longer.

Addressing newspersons at the Shere-Kashmir International convention centre here, the Prime Minister said India had taken up the challenge thrown by its neighbour. He said his presence at today's meeting of the Unified Command here along with the Home Minister and the Defence Minister was to convey the message of India's resolve and readiness.

"There is no doubt that the situation on the border is tense and any challenge given to us will be met effectively."

Asked about his statement on the border on Tuesday when he had looked at the clear sky and said there was no sign of war clouds, Mr. Vajpayee said, "the sky may be clear but sometimes even when the sky is clear there is lightning."

The Home Minister, L.K. Advani, the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, the Minister of State for Home, Mr. I.D. Swami, and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, were with the Prime Minister at the news conference.

`Musharraf's deeds must match words'

About the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's statement on Wednesday in which he sought to send out conciliatory signals to India saying that Pakistan's soil would never be used for cross- border terrorism, the Prime Minister said, "I do not believe his statements. I have been disappointed with his statements. In the past too promises had been made and broken. Therefore his (Musharraf's) deeds should match his words."

He assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that free and fair Assembly elections would be held. Mr. Vajpayee said his only worry was that "our neighbour will try its best to sabotage the coming elections, but we will certainly take all necessary precautions." On his three-day visit to the State, he said, "What I have observed here is that the people of the State are yearning for peace. There is a desire for normality."

On his meetings with the political leaders of the State, he said, "I got a very good opportunity to talk to different political voices in the State."

Asked about his not meeting with the Hurriyat Conference during his visit, he said, "I have invited them again and again in the past to come and talk to us in the larger interests of the people of the State." He said it was for this purpose that he had appointed K.C. Pant. But during Mr. Pant's visit to the State the Hurriyat Conference boycotted him. (An agency report quoted the Hurriyat Chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, as saying while rejecting the offer for talks: "Why indulge in fishing in a destert?")

"I invite to New Delhi anyone who has anything concrete to offer to bring peace to the State so that its people are safe and live happily," the Prime Minister said. The Hurriyat's insistence of including Pakistan in the talks on Kashmir was the stumbling block for initiating any talks with it. Describing the assassination of the Hurriyat leader, Abdul Gani Lone, as a conspiracy to demoralise and silence the forces of peace, the Prime Minister said Lone was gunned down because of his courageous voice against the gun culture, a voice that was beginning to get more and more influential.

`People want development'

Stressing the need for development in the State, the Prime Minister said, "the impression which I have got in the last three days is that the people here want development and employment opportunities.

Announcing a comprehensive package of Rs. 6165 crores for the State, the Prime Minister said the package covered various aspects of development and security with a thrust on generation of new employment opportunities for the youth of the State and relief for migrants affected by militancy and cross-border shelling.

He said that in five years the people of Kashmir would have train service. The 287 KM Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah rail line would be completed by that time at a cost of Rs. 3600 crores.

Today's Unified Command Headquarters meet was presided over by the Prime Minister and was participated by Mr. Advani, Mr. Fernandes, Dr. Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, the 16 Corps Go CJBS Yadava, the 15 Corps GoC, Patankar, and senior police officers.

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