Date:20/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/20/stories/2003042004480800.htm

National

We have the upper hand in proxy war: Advani

By Arunkumar Bhatt

SHIRDI (Maharashtra) April 19. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today said India was willing to hold talks to solve the Kashmir issue, but the militants should lay down arms. India was gaining an upper hand in the proxy war and "will certainly defeat Pakistan as we did in 1971."

He was addressing a farmers' rally here, organised by the Union Heavy Industries Minister, Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil.

Before the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Advani was advised that it was important for him, as the Home Minister, to ensure that a party better disposed to New Delhi came to power in the State. Such a policy shattered the confidence of the people of Kashmir in the electoral system and honesty of the Central Government.

But after the elections everybody, including foreign governments, agreed that the poll was free and fair. The same thing happened in Nagaland and Tripura.

He said that Pakistan had now lost its weapon, the Kashmiri youths being trained for creating trouble in the Valley as they (youths) had stopped crossing over. ``This has forced the neighbour to send its own people, Afghans and others as mercenaries here''. These terrorists select soft targets like a local train or people like Haren Pandya. It did not take long for the police to zero in on them, he said.

Mr. Advani said the Government had succeeded in weakening another proxy war of Pakistan. As many as 161 ISI modules had been busted

He told the farmers that the Centre was determined to achieve both security and development of the country. He promised to solve various problems faced by farmers.

Earlier, Mr. Advani laid a cornerstone to initiate a development project aimed at providing amenities for the town.