CPI(M) joins issue with Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 26. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today condemned the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani's ``provocative'' statement ruling out any discussion on the question of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir.

It said the country was keen to allay the fears of the Kashmiri people and fulfil the promises on which the State acceded to India. Article 370 of the Constitution, it said, was specifically drafted for the purpose.

The CPI(M) general secretary, Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjeet, told correspondents that over the years the provisions of this Article had seen continuous erosion and this had led to dissatisfaction amongst the people of the State. The extremist forces and India's enemies had exploited the mood, he added.

``The question of autonomy to Kashmir cannot be clubbed with the issue of Centre-State relations and giving greater powers to the States within India's federal Constitution. The special status to Kashmir must be accepted. Any attempt to try and negate this will only fuel greater dissatisfaction and bolster extremist activities,'' he said.

Mr. Surjeet charged that at a time when Pakistan was ``fully encouraging extremist activities'' in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Advani's statement would bolster such activities.

The party demanded that the Centre engage in wide- ranging consultations on greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and ensure the implementation of the provisions of Article 370.

Mr. Surjeet said that when Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, on a question of granting autonomy he had stated that ``sky is the limit''. Even the Sheikh Abdullah-Indira Gandhi accord of 1975 recognised the erosion of the implementation of provisions under Article 370 and made a commitment to correct them.

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