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I have no faith in Musharraf: Advani
``I have no faith in President Musharraf but I have confidence in our foreign policy and our capability to make the world realise that if a country is propagating terrorism, the international opinion should be very clear about it,'' he told the RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya. Asked what would happen if Pakistan did not mend its ways, Mr. Advani said ``We will do whatever has to be done. This is not announced before hand''.
Recalling last year's Agra summit, he said that Gen. Musharraf was adamant on not accepting the fact that there was terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and described it as a "freedom struggle". When it was pointed out that killing of women and children could not be termed as "freedom struggle", Gen. Musharraf maintained that in any freedom struggle, innocents were killed. But by the time of the Almaty security summit last month, the Pakistani leader had to change his stand because of international pressure and India's efforts.
Mr. Advani asserted that the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley would be a test of the anti-terrorism drive in the State. On the State's autonomy demand, he said it was not a big deal although he would prefer to use the expression "decentralisation of power" rather than `autonomy'. ``But if they want restoration of the pre-1953 position, then we cannot consider it.''
Asked how he perceived his elevation as Deputy Prime Minister, he said it would certainly strengthen his position. Earlier, he used to do certain things because he enjoyed the confidence of the Prime Minister and the party. ``But after the Prime Minister's decision to elevate me, such confidence has been formalised.''
He said there had been talk from time to time that he had a position in the BJP but not in the ruling NDA. ``That is why the Prime Minister initiated the process of consulting NDA constituents over my elevation which I think was good...This will benefit me.''
— PTI
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