SRINAGAR: The governor, Girish Chandra Saxena, Friday reaffirmed that Pakistan could not be excluded from talks to resolve the Kashmir issue, but ruled out tripartite talks among India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In an interview with, the governor said the government was in touch with various militant groups to secure the release of hostages abducted by them. He said that while a dialogue with political forces including the militants could be held on the “internal problem” with Pakistan could be discussed with that country separately and bilaterally.
Regarding the militants reaction to the offer of talks, he said one should not go by first reactions. “It is a preliminary move. It has, believed, set a section of people thinking”, he added.
While agreeing that any political process would require an improvement in the security situation, he said the political process could also have a salutary effect con the latter.
Saxena pooh-poohed the suggestion that the minority government at the Center could not take any bold political initiative on Kashmir, The government, he said, had already taken many crucial decisions, which did not have the concurrence of all the parties. Kashmir was an optional issue on which a consensus could be built, he added.
Saxena said that among other things, the root cause of the present turmoil in Kashmir was due to the peoples feeling that the states autonomy had been diluted.
These perceptions cannot be wished away and have, instead, to be considered.” he said and added: “People should have a sense of a meets their aspirations of his processor, Jagmohan, that the states special status was the root cause of all ills.
SPECIALSTATUS: He said that the abrogation of the state’s special status, as advocated by certain people, was not the national Policy. He justified his offer of talks on the quantum of autonomy by saying that the special status enjoyed by the state was enshrined in the Constitution. He added that he had sworn allegiance to the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
Saxena said the Center was for emulating a policy on Kashmir, He indicated that there was no immediate proposal to shift the Kashmir leaders, now lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir, to Srinagar as part of efforts to facilitate a political process.
About the abductions, he denied that the government had closed the option of talks with the militant’s fort here leas of the hostages.
“We are always prepared to talk to secure the release of an innocent hostage”, he said and added:
Firmness means that we are not making unacceptable constitutions.”
He said after a national policy on abductions was formulated, the state govt would follow it. But as of now, “we have our own policy.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 18, 1991
