The Hindu : 'Cross-border terrorism, Kashmir issue not linked'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 15, 2002

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'Cross-border terrorism, Kashmir issue not linked'

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR JUNE 14. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, Jana Krishnamurthy, has said that several foreign countries have the wrong conception that the problem of cross border terrorism and the Kashmir issue are inter-linked.

Addressing presspersons here today, Mr. Krishnamurthy lamented that even the U.S. had the wrong perception that cross border terrorism had something to do with the Kashmir issue.

Cross border terrorism was not confined to Kashmir.

The BJP leader observed that many foreign countries had the wrong notion that India and Pakistan were fighting for Kashmir thinking that it was a disputed territory.

"They were not aware that Pakistan can have no claim over Jammu and Kashmir since the Maharaja of Kashmir had formally acceded it to India long ago.''

Observing that cross border terrorism was affecting the entire country, Mr. Krishnamurthy said Pakistan was not attempting to grab Kashmir but to destabilise India.

The series of ISI-engineered incidents in different parts of the country, including the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, the attack on Parliament, and the Godhra train tragedy had made this clear.

About the ongoing tension on the Indo-Pak border, Mr. Krishnamurthy said India could not lower its guard unless Pakistan totally stopped infiltration of militants from its side.

He said India had no other option but to keep its Army ready when Pakistan started mobilising its forces on the border.

Stating that war against terrorism was not a war against Pakistan, he said India would never declare war first. It had never done so in the past.

Referring to the entry of a batch of six trained militants from Pakistan, Mr. Krishnamurthy said the actions of the Pakistan Government were not matching with the words of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, about putting an end to cross border terrorism.

The BJP president expressed happiness over the Congress agreeing to the candidature of the noted scientist, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for the next month's Presidential election.

But he criticised the Left parties for their stand.

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