NEW DELHI: Home Minister S.B.Chavan last week said the time was not yet ripe for declaring a general amnesty in Jammu and Kashmir or lifting the ban on the militant outfit JKLF though the outfit had given enough indications to abjure violence and initiate dialogue for a peaceful solution of the vexed problem. ~The stage for general amnesty will come when the Center takes a political decision as a final solution to the problem. Though there is a perceptible change in the Valley lime is not yet ripe for such a step” he said. He however said the Jammu and Kashmir Government had already been reviewing the cases of release of some of the detainees.
Whom there were no serious charges. Such a review is done two of three months he said.
Asked whether the Government to lift the ban on the JKLF in view of the reported willingness of the organization to enter into a dialogue the Home Minister said the statement of JKLF chief Yasin Malik was just a preliminary remark and “that does not mean the entice organization will stick to the stand enunciated by him
“If we find a genuine change of heart and on the ground we get a feedback of violence given up by the organization the matter can be reconsidered. It is too early to say anything. We have to watch for some more time” he said.
He refuted the allegation that release of Yasin Malik was part of a deal with the JKLF. He said the JKLF chief was released by the court on health grounds and a there was no move to have a dialogue at political level.
Asked to comment on recent developments in the Valley resulting in clashes between the JKLF and the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen Chavan said this was bound to happen when a (militant) organization publicly takes the line of a peaceful solution and goes against the gun culture Asked what would happen to Ladakh and Jammu regions if autonomy was granted to the State Chavan said a Bill for granting are autonomous hill council to Let district was ready and there was ; provision to include Kargil also.
In reply to a question he said the Center did not favor the creation of new states. He also disfavored Suggestions to make Ladakh a Union Territory.
On the much talked about initiation of political process in the Valley Chavan refused to given any time frame for holding elections.
“Even tentative announcement about the time frame will create problems and will lead to escalation of violence” he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 17, 1994
