Monday, May 26, 2003
Monday, May 26, 2003 |
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Jammu & Kashmir
``There is a change in the mindset of the people about the State. The people of the insurgency-marred State want peace... they have seen enough bloodshed. ``The Prime Minister, a great statesman he is, has sympathised with the aspirations of peace of the people,'' he told UNI in an interview here. The Chief Minister said the tremendous change in the atmosphere that Mr. Vajpayee saw during his visit to the State might have prompted him to extend the hand of friendship to Pakistan. ``To counter Pakistan's propaganda that Kashmiris are being murdered and people are not allowed to propagate Islam we have to take measures such as increasing people-to-people contact by opening the Line of Control and make Uri another entry/exit point such as Wagah,'' Mr. Sayeed said. He said the soft borders would break the barriers of hatred and animosity and renew the ties of love and brotherhood. On the role of separatists in resolving the Kashmir issue and their refusal to meet the Centre's interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir, N. N. Vohra, the Chief Minister said the Hurriyat and other groups in the changed scenario cannot afford to spurn the offer of talks. ``The separatists cannot afford to ignore the sentiments of the people to establish peace... they will lose their relevance if that happens.'' The Chief Minister said his Government would continue with the healing touch policy which has been endorsed by Mr. Vajpayee. ``The healing touch policy has delivered and is the need of the hour. It is not just the policy of releasing the militants but is a philosophy,'' he said. Emphasising that the healing touch policy entailed providing succour to militancy-victims, Mr. Sayeed said good governance, clean and corruption-free administration, all-round development and improvement in law and order situation in the State were the priorities of his Government and components of the policy. The Chief Minister said Mr. Vajpayee too had endorsed his healing touch policy.
Challenges Omar
Mr. Sayeed challenged the National Conference (NC) chief, Omar Abdullah, to topple his PDP-led Government, asserting that the coalition had the people's mandate and will complete its full six-year term. ``Being the Opposition, the NC has every right to say such things... but it will be a futile attempt. Who has stopped them? Let them go ahead and try to topple my Government... we will not be mute spectators,'' he said.
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