NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister, P.V, Narasimha Rao, recently said that the Government would come out with specific proposals in the next few days to address the desire in Jammu and Kashmir for more autonomy.

Summing up the Government’s case in the debate in the Parliament on the motion of thanks on the President’s address, Rao also made clear that the controversial Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act will not be retained in its present form, The law “as it is” should not continue, he said.

Both the Houses of Parliament saw members of the Opposition walking out after Rao’s address. While almost the entire Opposition walked out in the Lok Sabha Samta Party did not join in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stayed back in the Rajya Sabha. ‘The motion was adopted by a voice vote.

Rao said that the Government had noted the desire for more autonomy voiced from several quarters, and several political parties, were being con salted on this. He would take the Parliament in to confidence during the next few days in this session itself with “clear cut” proposals.

The Prime Minister said that “from all accounts,” conditions in the state had improved enough to allow the election process to be taken up. He had been consulting Opposition leaders on the issue, “I have to have a consensus on this,” he said.

He said that the security forces had scored significant successes against the militants, helping the ground situation to improve. The authorities had also released prominent secessionist leaders. They had been allowed to meet leaders of political parties and visit foreign embassies. Rao indicated that this was meant to encourage the political process in the state. He said more such releases of detainees might take place.

“The situation has changed…we are in a relaxed mood,” he said. But he also indicated that he was not fully satisfied with the functioning of the civil administration, it was not what it ought to be. Work on the delimitation of constituencies and the revision of electoral role had also been initiated, he ‘said. The assertion by the Prime Minister, P.V, Narasimha Rao, that the Government would hold discussions with the Opposition parties on the issue of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir has brought to the fore not entirely unexpectedly two parallel streams of political thought.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) believes that any move to grant greater autonomy to the state is fraught with Great danger as it will “open a Pandora’s box.” On the other side of political spectrum, the Communist Party has welcomed the Prime Minister’s statement saying “It is a somewhat. Positive response to the demand of secular political parties to consider the question of quantum of autonomy to create favorable conditions for a political process and for assembly elections.”

The CPI has urged the Prime Minister to discuss “this and other problems connected with political economic package.” It feels: ”We have to general a new confidence in the minds of the people of Kashmir about a fair and free democratic election.” BJP spokesman, Krishan Lal Sharma, said that by giving greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir would result in the creation of what he called “a state within a state.” He ‘opined that any step in this direction would harm the process of integration that was already on in the state, Different’ signals came trom state leaders as well. The National Conference was happy with the Prime Minister’s announcement. It would like to have the pre1953 dispensation restored before the elections. Nevertheless, there were indications that the party might take the electoral plunge even if item and was no time this time.

Two Congress leaders from the State, R.S. Chiband Madan Lal Sharma, are also in the Capital for discussions with the party’s Central leaders, They felt that the elections were the only way out of the State, They said age or autonomy before the polls should be nothing short of satisfying the regional aspirations of the people of all three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, The quantum of autonomy should be decided by elected representatives of the state without jeopardizing national interest.”

Article extracted from this publication >> May 5, 1995