NEW DELHI: VP Singh has said the government will bring in a legislation making it mandatory for all members of parliament to declare their assets.
Singh stressed that government was keen on holding elections in Punjab, “may be in six months or earlier.”
“We will address ourselves to the people of Punjab, we will establish the democratic process,” he said.
When K Gopal Krishnan, the interviewer, suggested that the Prime Minister had been holding talks with Akali leader Simranjit Singh Mann and some proposals were in the final stage, Singh said “the first proposal is regarding the territorial integrity of the country and respect for the constitution. We are not going to compromise on that.
“When Simranjit says that if Pakistan attacks, everybody will keep silent, the very first fundamental parameter is lost,” the prime minister said.
Referring to Kashmir, Singh said, “we want to take the people of Kashmir along because without their involvement there can be no solution.”
“As normalization takes place simultaneously those efforts are also being taken up as also the development of Kashmir,” he said.
‘The prime minister said “in the case of Punjab, yes, there has been an increase in militant activity. At the same time the sense of alienation that the Sikhs felt has gone and I think this is a major gain psychologically.”
Asked if a military confrontation could be avoided between India and Pakistan despite Pakistan actively aiding insurgency in Kashmir and Punjab, Singh said, “It depends on that country. Already there is confrontation with subversives and the secessionists.”
Singh noted that the United States has said “no” to plebiscite in Kashmir and that India stood “by the Shimla agreement for bilateral talks.”
Asked about the attitude of Janata Dal leader Chandrasekhar, towards the government and his charge regarding tapping of phones of senior politicians, Singh said, “If find nothing wrong in his attitude, about the bugging devices, we have stated on the floor of the house that itis wrong. That is the correct position.”
Article extracted from this publication >> June 8, 1990
