PM restricts dialogue offer to ‘anti-violence people’
Delhi to deal with Pakistani Gilani, not Kashmiri Geelani

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jun 7: In a potential disappointment to the Valley’s separatist leadership, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today extended a fresh offer of dialogue to “all those who are against violence and terrorism” in Jammu & Kashmir and made it unambiguously clear that Government of India would deal on Kashmir and other issues with the Pakistani Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani. He asserted that 26/11 terror strikes on Mumbai had a negative bearing on the entire gamut of dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad but expressed optimism that there would be substantial improvement in the wake of fresh reassuring commitments from Pakistan.

Contrary to wide speculations of inviting the separatist leadership to a formal process of dialogue, Prime Minister said that New Delhi was ready to talk to all sections of the population in Jammu & Kashmir but only those “who are against violence and terrorism” would be involved. He was addressing the 5th annual convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, (SKUAST) after reaching here on a two-day visit this afternoon. His second visit to Kashmir valley, since he became head of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre for his second term in May 2009, was as usual marred by near-total shutdown sponsored by the hardline separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s faction of the Hurriyat Conference.

Dr Singh said that the terror strikes of November 26, 2008, in Mumbai had a negative impact on the composite dialogue process between New Delhi and Islamabad. “However, in a recent meeting we had in Thimpu, Prime Minister Gilani Sahab made an assurance that Pakistan would not let anybody use its soil for terrorist activities against India. Both of us agreed that a meaningful dialogue process would run only when there was no hostile activity from across the border. We agreed that there was a substantial trust deficit (due to the anti-India terror activities from across) and the same would have to be reduced with concrete initiatives”, Dr Singh said.

While making it yet again clear that terrorism and talks would not run together, Dr Singh said that he was expecting his Pakistani counterpart to regard his commitment of ending anti-India subversive activities in Pakistan. He said that a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan was in the best interests of South Asia and India would play its role to see peace and prosperity in the neighbouring country. “Our interests are interdependent and we shall have to help each other and maintain best of the relations”, he said.

Prime Minister Singh said that on occasion of flagging off Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service in Srinagar in April 2005, he had said that India would leave no stone unturned to open and boost cross-LoC travel and trade. He said that much had been done in that direction during his leadership in the last five years but more needed to be done. He said that after operating cross-LoC trade and travel on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot routes, it was now time to introduce similar arrangement on Kargil-Skardu Road.

“Unfortunately some forces do not want to see this process of empowering the people of Jammu and Kashmir and they are bent upon disrupting it from across the LoC. They spread terror and disrupt everything, forcing our security forces to launch counter-insurgency operations. On certain occasions, innocent people become the victims of such operations. But, we always take necessary action against those found guilty of disregarding human rights. I am personally aware of the complaints of human rights abuse (by armed forces). We have issued strict instructions to our armed forces to ensure full regard to human rights of the innocent people. I assure that all flaws will be removed”, Prime Minister asserted.

Dr Singh said that over three years ago he had started off a fresh initiative to resolve the crises related to Jammu & Kashmir and had held three round table conferences with representatives of different political hues and civil society. He said there was need to involve more and more of such groups in the process so as to address the political aspirations of the youth who had, in large numbers, later participated in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2008 and 2009. He said that the process would be extended to the people who were against violence and terrorism.

Addressing the Valley’s younger generation, Prime Minister said that Dr Shah Faisal, who had a meeting with him last fortnight, had made the people of Jammu & Kashmir proud by security the highest position of merit in last year’s Indian Administrative Service examination in the country. He said that he would like more and more of the state’s youth to participate and get honours in such competitive examinations every year. He said that Dr Shah Faisal, whose father had been martyred during armed insurgency in Kashmir, had become a role model for the youth in Jammu & Kashmir who, he said, had a “very bright future ahead”.

Even as Prime Minister did not announce any political or economic package, usually expected in the state during such visits, he said that the Centre would create extensive job opportunities for the graduates and post graduates of SKUAST. He said that he was aware of the fact that even after attaining such valued academic qualifications, Agriculture, Horticulture and other graduates in the state were in despair for lack of job opportunities.

In a significant achievement for SKUAST (K), Prime Minister announced a special financial assistance of Rs 100 Crore for further development of the university. He also announced a national mission for farming, harvesting and marketing of saffron for which the highway township of Pampore is famous all over the world.

Governor, N N Vohra, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, union Minister of Health, Ghulam Nabi Azad, union Minister of New & Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, entire SKUAST (K) faculty, a number of Ministers and legislators, besides degree and medal recipients of the university were present on the occasion. Prime Minister and Governor presented gold medals to distinction holders of the university who included a B V Sc student having been appointed for IAS last month.

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