BJP backs Advani's 'pro-active' stance

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 6. The Bharatiya Janata Party today put its full weight behind a ``pro- active'' policy in Jammu and Kashmir to ``finish terrorism'' and ``end the proxy war'' being fought by Pakistan, virtually stating that a peaceful negotiation to the conflict was not a realistic option. The party's stand seemed to be in direct contradiction with the Prime Minister's statement yesterday that the peace process would continue.

``We want opposition parties to take a stand on this pro-active policy, we want everyone's support for such a policy,'' the BJP spokesperson, Mr. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, said. The killings in Doda were a ``manifestation of a conspiracy by Pakistan'' and the Government ``should build international pressure to declare Pakistan a terrorist state.''

``We tried to take steps towards peace, now it seems that there is no other way to resolve the issue except through the strength of the security forces. For this to be successful, the people will have to cooperate with the security agencies,'' Mr. Malhotra said, virtually countering Mr. Vajpayee's insistence that efforts to make peace with Pakistan and resolve the issue through negotiations had not and would not be given up.

The BJP, which has been lauding the Prime Minister's peace initiatives, was today more inclined to agree with the toughening stance of the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, articulated by him at Aligarh yesterday.

Mr. Malhotra dismissed the demand for the imposition of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir made by the BJP's Jammu unit, saying it was made ``in anger'' and adding that there was no such demand from the central leadership. Privately, some leaders said the demand was a big mistake, for, if the President's rule were to be imposed, the ``direct blame'' for all that goes wrong in the State ``would fall squarely on the Vajpayee Government.''

Mr. Advani has called for a meeting on Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday which will be attended by the Governor and the Chief Minister, the Union Defence Minister and senior officials related to security in the State. The party also hopes that, by then, the I. D. Swamy report after an on-the-spot assessment of the Doda massacre will be available.

While not conceding any Government failure to provide adequate protection to the people of Doda (where 15 persons were killed by militants on Friday), despite a similar massacre 15 days ago in the same district, Mr. Malhotra did admit that there might have been some ``re-deployment'' of available forces because of the Amarnath pilgrimage.

Responding to questions, Mr. Malhotra declined to comment on the demand that the security forces attack the training camps for terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. ``That would mean war, I cannot comment.''

The other issue which has exercised the party is the reported reference of the Dalai Lama to the Kashmiri people's aspirations, while comparing Kashmir with Tibet. Taking objection to the comparison, Mr. Malhotra said Kashmir had legally acceded to India, it had elected Governments and ``self-determination was not an issue in Kashmir (unlike in Tibet).'' The party MPs were of the view that the Dalai Lama had no business to talk about Kashmir.

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