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Nation raises doubts
However, the second announcement that day, that Shri Vajpayee had invited General Parvez Musharraf, Chief Executive officer of Pakistan for talks in India, not only caused surprise but, even dismay among the people of the country. Their dismay and anger knew no bounds when the Prime Minister, in his letter inviting the Musharraf couple to visit India, had stated unequivocally that Jammu and Kashmir too would be discussed between the two leaders. Here was a person, people said, who had made fun of Vajpayee's Lahore visit in February 1999, had kept aloof from the ceremonial functions in the Indian Prime Minister's honour at Lahore, and had thrust the Kargil war on India which cost India more than 450 of her brave soldiers, being invited by the Prime Minister for talks in Delhi, many asked in disbelief.
Ashraf Qazi's view
Concern among nationalist sections mounted when the Pakistani High Commissioner in India said that the talks would include a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the United Nations resolutions (1948), and Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar too declared that Kashmir was the “core” issue in any Indo-Pakistan dialogue. What happened to the Government of India's earlier resolve that it would not hold any talks with Pakistan until it stopped cross-border terrorism, concerned sections of the people asked one another.
Simultaneously with these suspicions, arose the question whether the Vajpayee Government has decided to negotiate for the acceptance of the Line of Control between the two halves of the State of Jammu and Kashmir one half being under illegal occupation of Pakistan since October 1947- as the international boundary between India and Pakistan in that sector. In other words, did it mean that the Vajpayee government was about to jettison the inflexible stand of the R.S.S., the BJP, and all nationalist forces that the whole of Kashmir belongs to India and of all people, Atal Behari Vajpayee would undo the sacrifice made by Syama Prasad Mookerjee for integrating the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India in June, 1953. Atalji had accompanied Dr. Mookerjee up to the Punjab-Jammu border in May 1953 and he had brought back the news that Sheikh Abdullah's government had treacherously arrested Syama Prasad after getting him within the State, away form the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (at that time).
Doubts set to rest
However, much to the relief of all nationalist forces in the country and the people of India at large External Affairs and Defence Minister Jaswant Singh stressed at a press conference on May 28 that the Government of India stood by the resolution adopted by both Houses of Parliament unanimously in 1994 that the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir including Gilgit and the area Pakistan has ceded to China in the Aksai Chin area belonged to India and there was no question of a plebiscite in Jammu Kashmir.
This announcement at a very crowded press conference which lasted more than 90 minutes, has reassured the people of India that although India has decided to talk to General Musharraf and even discuss Jammu and Kashmir with him. the Government and the people of India are determined not to dilute their stand on Jammu and Kashmir adopted by Parliament “The Government is a servant of Parliament” he stressed. It was not for nothing that the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh welcomed both the cease-fire withdrawn declaration and the invitation to General Musharraf on May 28 in a statement by Shri Madan Das Devi, Joint General Secretary.
Let Indian citizens speak with Indian leaders
Shri Jaswant Singh also dismissed the question by a reporter whether the Huriyat leaders would call on General Musharraf as a “non-issue”, The Pakistani CEO was coming to India, at the invitation of the Prime Minister, to meet Shri Vajpayee. There was no question of anyone else seeing the Pakistani leader. This statement was obviously aimed at the Huriyat leaders of Kashmir who were eagerly awaiting government response to their plea to meet General Musharraf.
Meanwhile the Government has already despatched Planning Commission Vice Chairman Krishna Chandra Pant to Srinagar to hold talks with the Huriyat leaders, giving a clear message that these leaders, who are legally Indian citizens, should talk about Kashmir to a leader of their country, and not that of a foreign country.
Pak's expected reaction
The reaction of the Pakistanis to
these statements on May 28 is likely to be adverse, but the Government
of India has given a clear message that the territorial integrity of Jammu
and Kashmir was inviolable, and the visiting Chief Executive Officer of
Pakistan will hold discussions with his hosts only and not with his stooges
functioning in Kashmir or anywhere else in this country and it is reasonable
to assume that the stress the Government of India will lay is on Pakistan
vacating its aggression in Kashmir. There are other topics too which will
be discussed but for every nationalist, for whom June 23 is a day of re-dedication
to up hold the integrity of the nation, the firm declaration by Jaswant
Singh is a most reassuring one that Syama Prasad's sacrifice not go in
vain.
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