NEW DEHLHI: Union home Minister S.B, Chavan accused the United States of having “evil designs” on Jammu and Kashmir, while replying to a short duration discussion on Jammu and Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha on Dec.4.
Mr, Chavan said it was not only ‘Pakistan which was creating problems in the Valley, but also “some big “powers.” Pressed by Opposition members to specify which nations, Mr. Chavan said, “I have no hesitation in naming America.”
Mr. Chavan was also critical of the onetime Waiver of the Pressler Amendment which had cleared the “way for export of US weaponry worth one billion to Pakistan, He said this would lead to an escalation of the “arms race in the subcontinent and “would: work to the detriment of the “peoples of India and Pakistan. “Ultimately, both will have to spend huge amounts on defense,” rather than on developmental activity or poverty alleviation.
In a reference of the US, the Home Minister said, “These people are only interested in themselves. These people are neither interested in India nor Pakistan but want a football in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Going further, he said every time there was “change in attitude” in the Valley, with the situation improving.
Some US Government official will come here and make a statement that Kashmir is a disputed territory.”
He warned the Benazir Bhutto Government in Pakistan against creating a situation which could result in confrontation with India.
When asked by Opposition members where he was making the statement with the sanction of the Government, he said, “I made this statement with full sense of responsibility.”
Mr. Chavan also said that the Government was examining the public interest litigation filed by Mr. Bhim Singh of the Panthers Party on holding of election in the Valley.
He added the Law Ministry was being consulted on this matter and the Government was considering legal action,” if the situation so required, so that it could go ahead with its plan to hold Assembly elections in the State, despite the Election Commission’s decision against holding polls.
Expressing disappointment over the Election Commissioner’s decision Mr, Chavan felt that, unfortunately: despite the Government’s efforts, the EC had “not been able to see things in the proper perspective.”
The Home Minister asserted, “We cannot go by the dictates of Pakistan we have to create conditions, legally also, to restore normalcy.”
Though the majority of the Opposition members welcomed Mr Chavan’s statement vis -à-vis the US: the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by the Leader of the Opposition Sikandar Bakht, staged a walkout in protest against the proposed change of nomenclature of the Governor and Chief Minister of the State.
While the Opposition, barring the BJP, supported the Government’s efforts, the Home Minister was asked to move away from the path of “unilateral announcements on important questions” such as Kashmir, and should, instead, take such decisions on the “basis of consensus.”
Article extracted from this publication >> December 8, 1995
