Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao told the Iranian President Rafsanjani during his tour of that country this week that India would like to hold talks on Kashmir with an “elected government” in Pakistan “if that government also reciprocated.” India has been harping Shimla agreement. This agreement was used to oppose and thwart any initiative from other countries (o resolve the issue. Pakistan on its part has been maintaining that the Shimla agreement does not preclude other fora. Actually, Rawalpindi tried to raise the question almost at every international meeting. A few ‘weeks ago, Pakistan had raised the matter in a meeting of Islamic countries held at Karachi. Several western countries have been asking India to hold talks with Pakistan and representatives of the people of Kashmir to amicably settle the problem. India’s new stance of talking to an elected government in Pakistan is nothing but its latest excuse for not holding talks. In fact, the emergence of an elected government in Pakistan is not the only condition for holding talks. Such a government, in addition, should also “reciprocate.” It is not made clear what it that the elected government in Pakistan should reciprocate is.

The fact of the matter is that a solution of the Kashmir problem is just not on India’s agenda. That country does not even recognize the existence of the problem. India’s spokesmen have been telling the world all along that the problem in Kashmir is the creation of Pakistan and its interference in India’s internal affairs. It is said to be a problem of “terrorism” and nothing more. The whole world knows by now that the Kashmir nation as a whole is up in arms against Indian army’s occupation of Kashmir, The army is trying to suppress the people by force. Use of mindless force even against the civil population is a matter of the voice of the Kashmir people for freedom from Indian colonial occupation. The plight of Kashmir could safely be equated with Afghanistan under the Soviet occupation during 1979-88.

India’s external affairs minister Dinesh Singh in an interview last week showed appreciation of the secret talks that led to the conclusion of the Israel P-.L.O. Pact and welcomed any such talks on the Kashmir issue. No one need take this statement seriously; Even then the BJP in India raised an alarm at the mere willingness of the government to discuss Kashmir with Pakistan at a secret meeting. It is well known that Congress (I) is following a soft Hindu line to beat the BJP at its own game. The ruling party docs not have any effective leader to lead the party through electoral politics. It is content to follow in the footsteps of the BJP. The ruling party is not willing even to show regrets at the demolition of the Babri masjid lest the Hindus tum against the Congress(1), In such a situation it is inconceivable that India could think of any political reforms in Kashmir much less granting freedom to the disputed territory. The BJP even opposes retention of the wholly useless article 370 of the Indian constitution which recognizes certain exclusive identity of the people of Kashmir. It is safe to conclude that India has nothing to talk on the Kashmir issue with Pakistan or with the people of Kashmir. Indian prime minister has made much of the absence of an elected government in Pakistan. The latter could well ask whether Indian government enjoys the Support of a majority of members of Parliament or that the people of Kashmir have been denied the right to elect their government.

‘The issue is not whether Pakistan or India has democracy. The question is whether the people of Kashmir should have a right to decide about their own future. India is bound to drag its feet on talks. Even if somehow India decides to talk to Pakistan, the result could not but bean empty rhetoric. It will only mean waste of time. In the meantime, the people of Kashmir will continue to suffer at the hands of the Indian army. The best course is for the U.S. President to take initiative to force India to come out with the specific proposals to include withdrawal of its forces from Kashmir with ascertainment of the will of the people of Kashmir. No other way will lead to any meaningful results.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 24, 1993