The Hindu : Musharraf's reference unwarranted: BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 14, 2002

National

National

Musharraf's reference unwarranted: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 13. Distinctly uncomfortable with the reference to religious extremism and `Hindu fascism' in Gujarat by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, the Bharatiya Janata Party today rejected the General's views and asserted that the reference was `unwarranted'.

The party was reacting to Gen. Musharraf's address to the United Nations. The BJP was certainly taken aback by his demand that the international community hold those responsible for the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat accountable as it had done in cases of ethnic cleansing elsewhere.

The Indian state ``abhors theocracy, India believes in respect for all religions, India believes in freedom of religion,'' the party general secretary and spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, said.

When such `sad' events took place, whenever there were social tensions, the civilised society in India and its democratic institutions were strong enough to counter them, he added.

Gen. Musharraf's Gujarat reference was described by the party as a `diversionary tactic' which cannot take away the hard fact that Pakistan was using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Mr. Jaitley also refuted Gen. Musharraf's pronouncements on the ongoing Kashmir elections, pointing out that people in the State were enthusiastic about the elections, a large number of candidates were in the fray, and the arrangements to ensure polling without fear were `watertight'.

The only threat to a fair and free poll was from across the border where militants were waiting in large numbers to cross over and create terror.

Gen. Musharraf had captured power through a military coup. He had dismantled every democratic institution in Pakistan, the referendum held by him was farcical and now he was planning a farcical general elections. For him to refer to any election process in India with derision was laughable, Mr. Jaitley said.

His view was that the Jammu and Kashmir elections would prove to be a turning point, it was a battle between Indian democracy and Pakistani terror, and the outcome of this fight would be clear.

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