02-27-2006, 05:49 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Come clean on Kashmir, BJP tells PM </b>
Pioneer News Service/ New Delh
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday dubbed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's round-table conference on Jammu and Kashmir as "a strategic blunder" and expressed "deep concern" at Mr Singh's remarks about autonomy and self-rule during Saturday's meet. Â
The party has decided to raise the issue in Parliament on Monday and demand a clarification from the Prime Minister.
The BJP leaders feel that the round-table on J&K was hurriedly called without any preparation or homework. "This had led unwittingly to Kashmir becoming unnecessarily an issue of international importance, just a few days before the visit of President Bush, which Pakistan wanted too," a senior leader said.
After a meeting at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee on Sunday evening, senior party leaders accused <span style='color:red'>Mr Singh of encouraging secessionism through his inept handling of such a sensitive issue bearing on national security.</span>
The party leaders also asserted that by the convening of the round-table a few days before the visit of US President George Bush, the UPA Government was "unwittingly internationalising" the issue, which Pakistan wanted as well.
<b>"The BJP firmly believes that entertaining any idea of autonomy and self-rule would encourage secession and separation,"</b> BJP president Rajnath Singh told reporters after the meeting.
<b>"The BJP would never support any effort which seeks to weaken the complete integration of J&K with India. We need not forget that J&K is an integral part of India,"</b> he said.
"The Prime Minister, instead of dismissing outright the idea of self-rule and autonomy, has sought to evolve a common understanding on these in the J&K meeting held on Saturday," Mr Singh said. "Decentralisation of power in favour of states for faster decision and quicker delivery is completely different, which need not be confused with autonomy and self-rule," the BJP leader said adding it was unfortunate that Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), an ally of Congress, has raised the issue of self-rule.
<b>"This is a great strategic blunder," he said adding, "instead of internationalising the burning issue of terror and cross-border terrorism, the Government has made Kashmir an issue of critical importance, which has serious long-term implications for national integrity."</b>
The BJP has also objected to PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti's call for self-rule in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the UPA Government to reject the suggestion.
Speaking to journalists in Jammu, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said that the Prime Minister's exercise had turned futile in the wake of the absence of separatists on the round table. It is amazing that the invitation given to separatists and other concerned parties was turned down by them and the separatists did not participate, he said adding efforts should have been made to involve them as well
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pioneer News Service/ New Delh
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday dubbed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's round-table conference on Jammu and Kashmir as "a strategic blunder" and expressed "deep concern" at Mr Singh's remarks about autonomy and self-rule during Saturday's meet. Â
The party has decided to raise the issue in Parliament on Monday and demand a clarification from the Prime Minister.
The BJP leaders feel that the round-table on J&K was hurriedly called without any preparation or homework. "This had led unwittingly to Kashmir becoming unnecessarily an issue of international importance, just a few days before the visit of President Bush, which Pakistan wanted too," a senior leader said.
After a meeting at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee on Sunday evening, senior party leaders accused <span style='color:red'>Mr Singh of encouraging secessionism through his inept handling of such a sensitive issue bearing on national security.</span>
The party leaders also asserted that by the convening of the round-table a few days before the visit of US President George Bush, the UPA Government was "unwittingly internationalising" the issue, which Pakistan wanted as well.
<b>"The BJP firmly believes that entertaining any idea of autonomy and self-rule would encourage secession and separation,"</b> BJP president Rajnath Singh told reporters after the meeting.
<b>"The BJP would never support any effort which seeks to weaken the complete integration of J&K with India. We need not forget that J&K is an integral part of India,"</b> he said.
"The Prime Minister, instead of dismissing outright the idea of self-rule and autonomy, has sought to evolve a common understanding on these in the J&K meeting held on Saturday," Mr Singh said. "Decentralisation of power in favour of states for faster decision and quicker delivery is completely different, which need not be confused with autonomy and self-rule," the BJP leader said adding it was unfortunate that Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), an ally of Congress, has raised the issue of self-rule.
<b>"This is a great strategic blunder," he said adding, "instead of internationalising the burning issue of terror and cross-border terrorism, the Government has made Kashmir an issue of critical importance, which has serious long-term implications for national integrity."</b>
The BJP has also objected to PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti's call for self-rule in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the UPA Government to reject the suggestion.
Speaking to journalists in Jammu, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said that the Prime Minister's exercise had turned futile in the wake of the absence of separatists on the round table. It is amazing that the invitation given to separatists and other concerned parties was turned down by them and the separatists did not participate, he said adding efforts should have been made to involve them as well
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->