NEW DELHI: Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha recently offered to implement the provisions of the 1975 Indira Gandhi Sheikh Abdullah accord, and asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote in the mid December State Assembly elections.

 In a message taped in Burkina Faso (where he is currently on a visit) and broadcast to the nation last week, the Prime Minister it was his governments endeavor to strengthen, Within the Constitution, the autonomy of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, keeping in view the aspirations of the people.

To emphasize the evolving relationship between J&K and the rest of India, Mr.Rao pointed out that certain provisions of the Constitution of India were made applicable to the State, from time to time. The Constitution (Application to J&K) Order 1950, the Delhi Agreement of 1952 and later the Constitution (Application to J&R) Order 1954 thus became a part of our statute.

However, it was the 1975 agreement between Mrs. Gandhi and Mr, Abdullah on which the Prime Minister dwelt. It was agreed that the State, which is a constituent unit of the Union of India, would continue to be governed by Article 370 of the Constitution of India, Rao said.

Mrs. Gandhi had said that there will be no weakening of the ties which exist between the Union of India and its continent units, of which the State of J&K is one. The agreed Conclusions seek to reassure the State that in case the State Government comes up with any proposals to change any central Taw made after 1953 fond matters in the Concurrent List. The grant of assent to the Bill will be sympathetically considered.

The Prime Minister pointed out that thus both the Constitution of India and the State Constitution have a built in exited inspect of the autonomy of the State within the overall limits of the Constitution.

As for the change of nomenclature of the Chief Minister to Wazir e Azam (Prime Minister) and the Governor to Sadar e Riyasat, the Prime Minister said that the State Legislature amended the State Constitution to provide for the change in titles, the Government of India had agreed in the

1975 accord that it would have no objection. This would mean that the Head of the State, instead of being appointed by the President of India, would be nominated by the State Legislature.

The Prime Minister also referred to suggestions for a financial package. As it is, 70% of the funding of the entire expenditure both developmental and no developmental, of the State, comes from transfers and devolution from the Center. Further, the States economy has been ruined because of violence in the last 5-6 years, he said, It is our earnest desire to relieve the people of their sufferings by responding to their genuine and legitimate aspirations, he said, And finally, being a democratic polity, we would like to bring Presidents Rule in the State to an end and Reestablish & popular State Government at the earliest opportunity, through completely free and fair election.

 Meanwhile in Srinagar, the political package proposed by the Prime Minister for Jammu and Kashmir has not been well received in the state.

The reaction in the Valley ranges from outright opposition to skepticism and hardly anybody is convinced that the People will willingly come out to vote.

The people only talk about Narasimha Rao having rejected the National Conferences demand to restore the states pre 1953 status.

The strongest reaction in Jammu has come from the BJP. Rishi Kumar Kaushal, Spokesman of the state unit, posed package would open box and encourage element Assam and other states to revive their secessionist demands.

He added that especially objectionable was the offer of change the nomenclature of governor and chief minister to Sadr Riyasat and Wazir e Azam, respectively. He said contrary to the present move, Mrs. Indira Gandhi had totally rejected the proposal, contained in clause 6 of the in Srinagar, state president of the Janata Dal Abdul Qayyum said Mr, Raos speech was a jugglery of words, He offered nothing. It cannot satisfy the wishes of the people.

A vast majority of the people here believe that elections will not make things any beater for them. Ahmed said People surely want peace, but elections mean only more violence.

Ghulam Rasool, a shopkeeper. Even if am given RS 1, 00,000, I will not vote at the risk of my life. In any as what have we got from elections in the past? He said I assure you nobody will vote, unless there is a crackdown by the security forces. Another shopkeeper said we have suffered a lot. But we surely do not want a shameful way out. After all, many lives have been lost.

 The erstwhile activists of the National Conference except the few living in heavy security; are happy that Mr. Abdullah is not joining the electoral process. They fear they will be targeted by militants if Mr, Abdullah agrees to participate. The other main stream parties including the Congress have never had a foothold in the Valley.

While Kashmir members of the National Conference are apparently dissatisfied with the package, most Jammu members are happy with the assertion that the three regions of the state would be treated on an equal footing the dominant dissident faction of the state Congress is broadly against any trying back of the clock. The official group, led by PCC chief Ghulam Rasool Kar, who sere placement the dissidents are demanding, swears by all the PM says. One of the two groups of the state Janata Dal demanded a regional council for Jammu is well as for Kashmir.

The Jammu Mukti Morcha in Jammu said the package was meant to appease Mr, Abdullah and a section of Kashmiris, while ignoring the aspirations of other people of Jammu and Ladakh and the minorities of Kashmir valley.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1995