Musharraf visit will not solve Kashmir issue: Mulayam

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, JUNE 3. The Samajwadi Party president, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, today said there would not be any major breakthrough in the Kashmir issue following the visit of the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. The whole exercise was being carried out due to pressure from the United States, he charged.

Mr. Yadav, who was participating in a meet the press programme at the Pink City Press Club, is in the Rajasthan capital in connection with the three-day national executive meeting of his party which commenced here today. He felt that the invitation to Gen. Musharraf to visit India was sent in a hurry and in a ``hush-hush'' manner. ``Even the members of the Union Cabinet were not aware of the invitation before it was sent,'' he alleged.

Terming the NDA Government's approach to the Kashmir issue as flawed, Mr. Yadav said the Sangh Parivar wanted Kashmir to be divided into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. ``This would provide them another excuse to alienate Muslims in the country. They have been now left with no issues to catch the attention of people.'' The formation of smaller States was not an ideal thing to do, he said.

Mr. Yadav reiterated his party's stand on the formation of a confederation or ``Maha Sangh'' of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. ``We, the socialists have always taken the stand that the division of the country was not rational. Maha Sangh, even if it is a loose confederation would be a viable formation.''

Mr. Yadav, who is also the convener of the newly formed ``Jan Morcha'' or People's Front, blamed the NDA Government for the present crises in the country such as security threat and terrorism and the troubles of farmers, small businessmen and the poor.

``The challenges before the country are more serious that ever before. Divisive forces are at work in the name of religion, region and language.'' There was a sense of insecurity prevailing from the time of the Kargil intrusion. The killing of BSF jawans in Bangladesh and the terrorist attack inside the Red Fort were a few instances cited by him in this connection.

However, Mr. Yadav was of the view that the NDA Government would continue in power. ``We do not want mid-term elections now.''

He alleged that the past policies of the BJP and the Congress had brought only misery to the middle class. ``They are out to finish the middle class in this country,'' he charged. ``People are fed up with the BJP and the Congress and hence the new alternative in the form of Jan Morcha,'' he explained.

Mr. Yadav said his party was on the threshold of emerging as a national party. The decision to hold the national executive in Jaipur was part of the strategy to give it a national character.

He claimed that the Jan Morcha would emerge victorious in the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh. There was no need to project anyone as the Chief Minister, he said replying to a question. ``I have been projected enough,'' was perhaps his indirect way of hinting at who would be the next Chief Minister if his group wins. ``I have the affection of people,'' he observed.

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