NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar has ruled out the possibility of deployment of army during the coming general elections.
In an interview to the Iranian television the prime minister said according to the law army could not be deployed for polling and we are not going to do anything which is illegal.
Chandra Shekhar said he however could not ensure that there would be no evidence at all during the elections because when elections come there is bound to be some tension.
Asked about India’s relations with Pakistan and the militant activities in Punjab and Kashmir the prime minister said he did not feel that all the activities of the militants totally depended on Pakistani attitude towards militants.
There are other factors also and I cannot say what help militants were getting from Pakistan earlier and how much they are getting now because it will be unfair for me to make any Comment on the help that the militants are taking from Pakistan.
Mr Chandra Shekhar said that there was a definite trend in improvement of relations between India and Pakistan because both the countries felt that confrontation was to nobody’s advantage. If we fight among ourselves we shall not be able to fight against poverty squalor and misery.
Referring to the Kashmir problem he said that certain elements were trying to play with the religious feelings of the people in the valley but felt they would not succeed ultimately.
Kashmir came to India in 1947 when communal tension was at the highest when the country was divided on the basis of religion. People in Kashmir did not prefer to go to Pakistan but they opted for India because they cherished secular values he said.
The prime minister also said that he did not think that the United States had any role to play in Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 19, 1991
