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Generous to a fault

Generous to a fault

Author: Anil Narendra
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: September 6, 2001

It hardly bears reiteration that India wants to live in peace with all its neighbours, including Pakistan. But peace or tranquillity is a two-way game. The other party too has to respond positively to your initiative. Prime Minister Vajpayee has tried on more than one occasion to make General Musharraf see reason, but every initiative from his side has obtained a negative response. first Kargil reciprocated Lahore; then the General trampled all over us in our own country at Agra. Not only that, the level of violence by his "freedom fighters" too has been stepped up. Recently, two priests in a Kali temple were not only beheaded, but their bodies were cut into small pieces and thrown in the streets of a village in Poonch.

What is incomprehensible is, there is no perceivable change in the attitude of the General or his jihadis as far as Jammu & Kashmir is concerned. Recently, General Musharraf, while talking to the members of the PoK Assembly and Council, said: "I would like to reiterate that whether the talks are held in Agra, New York or Islamabad, one thing is clear: Kashmir remains the core issue and without the solution of the core issue of Kashmir, which is my top priority, progress in relations between the two countries will be impossible." General Musharraf did not utter a word about cross-border terrorism, an issue which was the main stumbling block in Agra.

At the same time his jihadis have expressed doubts over the planned summit and have vowed to step up their armed struggle in Kashmir. "We will organise and increase our attacks on the Indian security forces in Kashmir during the meeting of Musharraf and Vajpayee," said Yahya Mujahid, spokesman of Lashkar-e-Toiba. He also said that Lashkar will not decrease its militant activities during the summit and will step up the pressure so that Indians are forced to quit Kashmir. He said India's strategy to gain time through talks so as to weaken the militant groups will not work. I don't see any development on Kashmir in the proposed summit.

These jihadis, who are supposedly fighting to protect Islam, which according to them is in danger, are indulging in activities that will put the stoutest of Muslims to shame. How "holy" is the war they are fighting can be judged from the following incident. The Indian Army found out six militant hideouts at a height of 9400 feet in Kaka Hill area of Poonch district last week, where, nestling alongside an impressive cache of 213 mortar bombs, 90 kg of RDX, 24 grenades and grenade launchers, ration, blankets and wireless sets, were pornographic literature and packets of narcotics. The recovery holds special significance as Pakistan has all along been professing that the Mujahideen warriors of God are fighting a "jihad" (Holy War) in Jammu & Kashmir. Though there have been several instances of the so-called Mujahideen raping and molesting women on this side of the LoC, the recovery of condoms and pornographic literature is the first of its kind. It all clearly indicates the motive behind the so-called jihad.

Meanwhile, in Jammu & Kashmir, thanks to the confusing signals emanating from New Delhi, the terrorists have now started further consolidating their stranglehold on civilians. The latest episode is the dictate compelling Muslim women of Kashmir to wear burqa in public. Those who challenged this directive had acid thrown on them. The Talibanisation of Jammu & Kashmir is proceeding on a fast track. Because of a weak policy and lack of clear thinking on the part of New Delhi, the militants are not only consolidating in J&K but are fast expanding their network and bases throughout the country. According to an Intelligence Bureau report, the Lashkar-e-Toiba has already established bases in 36 Indian cities, besides finding alliance partners in various other terrorist and secessionist groups.

The chances are that Agra will be repeated in New York. No preparatory work has been done, no agenda has been worked out. If it has been done, then the nation is in the dark about it. Utmost secrecy, it seems, is the key word this time. Besides the "K" issue , another big stumbling block in Agra was whether the peace talks would start from Simla or Lahore or Agra? General Musharraf was, and I suppose he still is, firm that these will start from Agra or perhaps New York now. Why New York? Because it would suit him the most. In Agra there was a "hidden hand". In New York this hidden hand will not be present.

It is no secret now that the "hidden hand" referred to by General Musharraf is none other's than Indian Home Minister LK Advani's. In fact, the Pakistani President himself spelt it out on August 30, when he was talking to Northern Areas Legislative Council in Uiluil. For the first time since the Agra summit one and a half months ago, General Musharraf openly accused Mr Advani of blocking the joint declaration between lndia and Pakistan. He maintains that the Indian Prime Minister would have signed the declaration but for the pressure from the hardliners within his Government. He also said: "After finalisation of the mutually agreed declaration, he returned to his hotel to change as he was to proceed to Ajmer Sharif after the signing ceremony. But soon after, our Foreign Minister, Mr Abdul Sattar, informed me that things had gone wrong and the Indian side was saying that the Cabinet did not approve of the declaration. I was astonished, as there was no Indian Cabinet in Agra except for two or three ministers, including Mr Advani." General Musharraf also informed the audience that the Indians sent an amended draft later in the evening: "We were told that the signing ceremony would take place within 15 minutes or so. But nothing happened." He claims that in both the drafts the centrality of Kashmir issue was recognised.

The Prime Minister, in his bid to win over General Musharraf, is overlooking the risks involved. Talks with the Pakistani President at a venue which is not only the hub of the world media but is at stone's throw from the UN has its own pitfalls. As it is, the time when Mr Vajpayee will be visiting New York, the UN will be in world focus, as the visiting heads of the states will be present to address the general assembly. If the talks fail again, are we not taking an "international risk"? Will it not lead to greater international vigilance of the Kashmir problem? In any case, it isn't very clear what Prime Minister Vajpayee hopes to achieve considering the stated position of the Pakistani President. In fact, General Musharraf is going to enjoy very bit of the media focus in New York. As it is the Prime Minister has helped in legitimising General Musharraf's regime in Pakistan. By meeting him in New York, he will be sending a wrong signal to the world.

The question is, why is Mr Vajpayee bent on going diametrically opposite to the mood of the Indian people? He is wise and experienced enough to realise that without a categorical assurance from Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and ISI activities in India, he cannot offer any substantial concession on Kashmir. No government of India can give Jammu & Kashmir on a platter to Pakistan. Further, surely nobody in India expects General Musharraf to dilute his position as far as J&K is concerned. Mr Vajpayee's repeated overtures are strengthening the General and his jihadis. In the process we are demoralising our own security forces. The consensus at home is that, in the present circumstances, no solution to Jammu & Kashmir problem is possible. First cross-border terrorism and ISI activities in India have to stop. In spite of all this, if Mr Vajpayee is still keen to meet the General, he must have very good reasons.
 


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