The Hindu : J&K parties must show political maturity: Karan Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 23, 2002

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National

J&K parties must show political maturity: Karan Singh

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu Oct. 22. The former Union Minister, Karan Singh, has described the imposition of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir as unfortunate and asked the political parties to show some maturity so that the verdict of the people who had braved bullets to exercise their democratic right is respected.

Speaking at the celebrations of the 210-birth anniversary of the erstwhile ruler of the State, Maharaja Gulab Singh, Dr. Singh, former Sadar-e-Riyasat, said that in view of the current fluid political situation, where no party had a clear majority there was no alternative except to form a coalition government.

Asking the people of the State not to fall prey to regional chauvinism, Dr. Singh said that the three regions of the State — Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh — had to live together in a relationship of equality.

Dividing the State along regional lines was a dangerous move and everyone should resist it.

Criticising the suggestion for trifurcation of the State, he said the State, which had 85,000 sq. miles before 1947, had already been divided into three parts between India, Pakistan and China and there should not be any more attempts to further divide it.``We should be proud of our plurality which is multi-ethnic and multi-religious and there should be no attempt to break the legacy which we have inherited from our ancestors.''

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