Jammu, September 9
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is in a defiant mood. Whether it is the issue of the proposed Vajpayee-Musharraf talks in New York or the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the VHP continues to adopt a tough posture.
This became evident during the two-day visit of the VHP chief, Mr Ashok Singhal, to Jammu. During his interaction with the people and his party workers, he went to the extent of suggesting to the Government of India to “destroy” arms training camps across the border.
In an informal meeting with mediapersons here today, Mr Singhal opposed the proposed Vajpayee Musharraf talks in New York, saying “there is no sense in holding parleys with Islamabad unless Pakistan stops abetting and siding crossborder terrorism.”
To a question, he said “the decision of Mr Vajpayee to continue the Agra process has brought insult to the Indian nation because after the Agra summit the level of violence in Jammu and Kashmir has touched a new high.”
He wanted India to lay a precondition for the resumption of bilateral talks telling Pakistan that unless it stopped material and moral support to the militants, there “cannot be any talks.”
Mr Singhal suggested to the Prime Minister to adopt a tough posture against Islamabad by ordering destruction of arms training camps across the LoC. “It is shameful to favour talks when scores of innocent people fall to the bullets of the militants, “he said, adding at least talks with President Musharraf should not be held because he “is not an elected leader of Pakistan.”
The VHP chief said “Gen Pervez Musharraf had imposed himself on the people of Pakistan and it is not known how long he will be able to continue as President.”
Referring to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Singhal held the ruling National Conference headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah responsible for the series of carnages. “The state government has not fulfilled its constitutional obligation of providing security to the people in the state”, he said. He alleged that some of Dr Farooq’s men were in league with the militants.
