NEW DELHI: The search for a political package for Jammu and Kashmir has intensified of late so much so that the Governor, G.C.Saxena, conveyed to the Prime Minister, P.V.Narasimha Rao, his readiness to step down in the interest of a new dispensation, Saxena, obviously, would like the Center to feel free to make a fresh choice, especially if a political figure is favored for the Srinagar Raj Bhavan. However, he denied are port of his resignation because of differences with the Minister of state for the Affairs Rajesh Pilot.

The package is yet to take shape but the legal feasibility of reviving the dissolved Assembly is among the propositions, currently being examined, this issue was: considered more than once in the past but there was no finality. That its hold have been taken up again now was significant those advocating the assembly’s revival based themselves on the premise that the dissolution order was defective. March 23 is mentioned as the deadline for a decision, because a revival after this date would not be constitutionally feasible.

Also under consideration are the proposals for (1) strengthening the State Advisory Council, consisting of the representatives of major political parties, that takes stock of the Situation intervals regular intervals and suggests measures to resolve whatever problems are brought to its notice, and (2) involving local representatives in the discussion with the administration on local issues.

 Saxena called on the Prime Minister during his recent visit here, apart from meeting the Home Minister, S.B.Chavan and Pilot, the Governor was believed to have: sent 10 the Home Minister his comments on a report to the effect that he found the Home Ministry’s confused on the issue of fighting insurgency. He had made no such reference; he was believed to have said. Similarly, Saxena sought to dispel the impression that his contemplated resignation was linked with Pilot’s initiative for a political process or that he had reservations to such an approach. According to. A spokesman of the Jammu and Kashmir Government, Saxena had repeatedly spoken of the need for starting a political process, offering the State Government’s full

Cooperation in this regard, and that he had been: stressing the urgency of filing the present vacuum by political activity. Pilot’s absence from a meeting of the State Advisory council on February 17 although he was in the State had been another talking point in Srinagar. The absence, it was explained, was because of Pilot’s inability to reach Srinagar from the interior because of the bad weather.

 Whether the present spurt of activity is the result of a well-considered decision by the Prime Minister or the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs or a new broom phenomenon with Pilot new in the Home Ministry. Seat, keen to produce results is not clear, Kashmir, unlike the distribution of subjects in the Home Ministry a controversy in which Pilot had his way ~ is a highly sensitive matter and needs to be handled with utmost caution. In particular, care has to be taken in guarding New Delhi against charges, dubbing a fresh move as a case of personal gimmickry, such a talk may be unfounded but it causes heavy damage.

 Whatever is done or said in re grad to Kashmir will have international ramifications, At the present juncture, there is a marked step-up in the pressure on India by the Western powers to start a political Process in Kashmir, The new administration in the U.S. now pre occupied with the domestic agenda, will at some stage tum its attention to South Asia, Indo Pakistan differences in particular the Kashmir problem, are bound to be Central to such an excuse. Reports of divergence between Srinagar and New Delhi could create additional Complications for India. ‘There is, thus, a case of transparency in regard to Central actions, though it may not be possible to make public all the details.

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