The Hindu : Nothing new in PM's visit: Omar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

Nothing new in PM's visit: Omar

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR APRIL 18. The National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, sees nothing new in the visit of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the State and said the public meeting in Srinagar today did convey a symbolism by sending a strong message that Kashmir was an integral part of India.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Abdullah, who attended the Prime Minister's foundation stone-laying ceremony at the airport here, asked "what is new in his visit? He has been to Jammu and Kashmir many times as Prime Minister and addressed public meetings in Tangdar". On the big rally in Srinagar, Mr. Abdullah acknowledged the efforts of the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, saying, "it is good, it conveys a signal to the militants and the Hurriyat".

"During our rule, Mr. Vajpayee addressed a meeting at a place that normally faces shelling from across the border. I see no change in the law and order situation in the State. And I think the media has given much hype to this visit," he said. "It is a fact that militant activities have registered a sharp increase in the past six months. People are petrified. The morale of the security forces has gone down as well. The economic condition of the State has weakened further. There is a change in the situation; not for the good, but for the worse."

On the healing touch policy of the State Government he said, "the Mufti claims it is not a policy but a philosophy. Providing security, good governance and a corruption-free administration to the people of the State is part of this policy. The ground realities are totally different. There has been no change. The man who talks of transparency was the first to appoint his relatives in cushy jobs. More people have lost jobs than those who have been given jobs. The security environment is deteriorating rapidly." However, the People's Democratic Party had benefited from this policy politically, he said.

Mr. Abdullah said the Government's top priority should be fighting militancy as the State's problems were directly related to terrorism. On the prevailing situation, he said, "people are surrounded by guns. Militants have guns. The security forces have their guns. Last, but not the least, we have surrendered militants who have guns. People are sick and tired of the terror spread by the surrendered or Ikwani militants. No effort has been made to disarm them."

"The Mufti can claim what he wants. It is a hard reality that the NC led by Farooq Abdullah did whatever it could for the people of the State. We fought terrorism when it was at its peak. The Chief Minister can now talk of disbanding the Special Operations Group because of what we had achieved during our tenure. Six years ago he would not have dared to talk in such terms."

Predicting that the coming months would be the most dangerous phases of the militancy, he said they (militants) have already made a beginning. "The Nadimarg killings were part of this dastardly campaign. For six years our workers were targeted and killed. Now the workers of the ruling PDP are getting killed. There is no clear-cut strategy to combat cross-border terrorism."

The NC president who is scheduled to meet the Centre's interlocutor, N. N. Vohra, next week said his (Mr. Vohra's) mission would not be complete until he held talks with those who started the (armed) movement in the State.

"Unfortunately, he says he will not invite anyone to hold talks with him but those who come to meet him are welcome. He should have extended an open invitation to one and all including the All-Party Hurriyat Conference."

Reiterating that the NC would talk about the State's autonomy, he said, "as and when we talk to Mr. Vohra we will raise the issue of autonomy."

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Nothing new in PM's visit: Omar