M A I N   N E W S

Samjhauta train ‘under review’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 7 — The government was reviewing continuation of Samjhauta Express and Lahore bus service, the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, said here today maintaining that negotiations with Pakistan would not be possible until cross-border terrorism was stopped.

Talking to newsmen at Punjab Raj Bhavan, Mr Advani said that after reverses in Kargil operations, Pakistan had stepped up cross border terrorism leading to killing of innocent citizens, massacres and the hijacking of aircraft. Mr Advani was here to deliver convocation address at the Sector 36 MCM DAV College and laying the foundation stone of the “E” Block of the Sector 32 Government Medical College Hospital.

“India,” he said,” has made it clear that it was not opposed to negotiations. But in the wake of stepped up activities of cross-border terrorism, such a step would become meaningless.

“On the eve of the visit of the US President, Pakistan in its attempt to build pressure to internationalise the Kashmir issue got trapped in its own web. Under pressure mounted by Islamabad, 35 Sikhs were massacred at Chitti Singhpora in Anantnag. They thought they would internationalise the Kashmir issue with this horrendous episode. Instead cross border terrorism was internationalised. Even the statements made by the US officials also talk about Indo-Pak talks for which Pakistan had to create a congenial atmosphere, thus endorsing India’s stand on the issue,” Mr Advani said. The Home Minister added that this endorsement came because of India’s commitment to democracy.

Mr Advani said no proposal for negotiations has gone to the Hurriyat. For the past some months, many NGOs and others have been visiting him to suggest to him to keep the doors for negotiations open.

These visitors have also been pressing for release of those who have been in jails. As such a thinking process has been on for some time. The release of the some of the JKLF leaders was part of this process.

The Union Government has been maintaining that those who want to negotiate must give up arms and talk within the framework of the Indian Constitution.

“We have never said no to talks with Pakistan,” he said.

Talking about Kashmir he denied that the government was coming out with any “new action plan” as announced by Mr Madan Lal Khurana, Special Emmissary of the Prime Minister, at the bhog ceremony of 35 Kashmiri Sikhs at Chitti Singhpora on March 31.

“An action plan has already been there. We are trying to provide security cover to all 150-odd villages inhabited by Sikhs. I never talked about any new action plan,” he said.

Giving a call to leaders of all political parties to discuss and debate electoral reforms, especially those pertaining to the elections of Rajya Sabha.

“In the State Assembles, election of Speaker is done by an open vote. Why it cannot be done in the case of Rajya Sabha members. We requested the Law Ministry to consider this amendment. It says it is possible. We want that all political parties should debate this issue. The Election Commission has convened a meeting of all political parties on electoral reforms in New Delhi on April 29, “ he said.

Coming to Inter-State disputes of Punjab and Haryana Mr Advani held that it would be appropriate if Chief Ministers of the State involved hold negotiations and arrive at a unanimous settlement as was dome in the Cauvery waters dispute.

Earlier, Mr Advani said that Indian political scenario has witnessed tremendous changes during the past 50 years. In the past one decade, especially between 1989 and 1999, political scene has witnessed a radical change. “I would not say that a two-party system has emerged, but I can say that bipolar politics has come up, where principal pole is the BJP and other pole is the Congress. Other political parties have to choose between these two poles,” he said.

On June 25 this year, he said, the BJP would observe 25th anniversary of Emergency in the country. This was an attempt to raise the issue of survival of democracy in the country. But both the people and political parties not only revived the democracy here but also made it clear that anybody or party trying to harm democracy would not be spared.

In Pakistan, he said, democracy could not be adopted. After Independence, the Congress dominated the Indian political scene for almost five decades. The gains of its role in freedom struggle were frittered away in first three decades of its rule at the Centre.