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Kashmir : No military solution, says PM

	May 28, 2007

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that there could be no military solution to disputes like the Kashmir issue and a lasting settlement could only be arrived at through dialogue. Releasing the book “1965 War : the Inside Story” by former Governor R.D. Pradhan, in New Delhi on May 23, Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that we are prepared and determined to deal with any threat to our national security in the appropriate manner. Our armed forces are ready to deal with any such challenge.”



Though the armed forces were always vigilant, he said, “Equally, we have the wisdom and the courage to say that the only lasting solution to any political or bilateral dispute is one that is negotiated through dialogue and discussion, and is arrived at honourably and to the satisfaction of all.”



Pradhan worked as private secretary under the then Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan during the 22-day 1965 war and the book is mostly based on the Minister’s hand-written diaries, and analyses through these writings of the attitude and behaviour of politicians and military officials during the crisis.



The Prime Minister said he too had worked under Chavan when he was the Finance Minister. “Yashwantraoji took a determined and considered view that there could be no military solution to the Kashmir issue. He was convinced that any lasting solution has to be a politically negotiated one,” Dr. Singh said.



He released the book in the presence of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, and the three Service Chiefs, among others.



Former Chief of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, to whom Pradhan dedicated the book, said he, as then IAF chief, had told Chavan that “we are in a great hurry.” Chavan, Pradhan said, asked Arjan Singh to launch air attacks without even informing the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The attacks were launched within 20 minutes.





No troop cut : J and K Government



The Jammu and Kashmir Government has informed the Centre that it was unable to carry out any reduction of security forces in the state in view of the growing threats from militants who are trying to disrupt political activities besides targeting vital installations. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), coalition partner in the Congress-led government, has been demanding reduction of troops in the state. The State government’s views were conveyed at a meeting chaired by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt in New Delhi on May 22. Dutt is heading an expert panel constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to carry out an in-depth assessment of the situation in the state and determine whether there is any need to relocate and reconfigure security forces.



In a related move, the Army has reported a three-fold increase in the successful infiltrations from across the border in the month of April. The Army’s assessment put the number of infiltrations last month at 79, a three-fold increase from 2006 when only 27 terrorists managed to cross over in April.



In the latest incident, the Army foiled a major infiltration attempt by militants across the line of control into Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on May 26. A Jawan was killed and another wounded in the exchange of fire.





Militants’ plan to target Carvan-e-Aman foiled



On May 24, a major tragedy was averted with the timely detection of an improvised explosive device on the Srinagar-Baramulla high way, just before the Muzaffarabad bus was to ply on the road.



The police said the IED was detected by alert troops of the 2 RR near Tahira Khanam’s college at Lawaypora in Srinagar district. To avoid any civilian causality, the police immediately evacuated the area. Later, the IED was diffused by the bomb disposal squad. A CRPF spokesman said the 163 Bn with the help of sniffer dog detected one tin container covered with newspapers near a tree along the main highway. With the dog’s help the CRPF came to know that the container was packed with explosives.





National Conference for autonomy



National Conference president Omar Abdullah has said that restoration of autonomy in the state is the only viable solution of the Kashmir issue. Addressing a public rally in Rajouri area on May 20, he said the National Conference will not allow division of the state as being propagated by some vested interests. He said those advocating self-rule formula are actually talking of dividing Jammu and Kashmir on regional basis. Omar Abdullah said the National Conference is for simultaneous development of all areas to remove the sense of alienation form the minds of the people.





Build national consensus on the Kashmir issue : Hurriyat



Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to build a consensus for resolving the Kashmir issue. Advocating Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s four-point formula, the Mirwaiz said that India lacked political will to resolve the matter. Speaking in Srinagar, on May 21, he appealed to the militants to support the peace process.



The Mirwaiz ruled out participation in elections, saying they were no solution to the problem. Instead, Delhi should concentrate on evolving a consensus with parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left front to resolve the issue on the basis of General Musharraf’s formula.



The Mirwaiz was speaking at a rally organised on the death anniversary of his father, Moulvi Mohammad Farooq, and Abdul Gani Lone. Moulvi Farooq was gunned down by militants on May 21, 1990, and Lone on May 21, 2002. The Hurriyat Conference organises a rally every year on their death anniversary.



The Mirwaiz said he was ready for elections if it were held across the line of control in “Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and this part of Kashmir,” and not the ones held for power sharing.