A JOINT PRESS BRIEF
ISSUED AT
PRESS CLUB DELHI ON
FEBRUARY 3, 2000
BY THE PEOPLE’S
INITIATIVE IN PEACE AND UNITY
1. The unilateral framing
and acceptance of the Autonomy Report by the
ruling National Conference Government, at a time
when the internal security situation in the state
of Jammu and Kashmir is getting out of control,
sounds intriguing and alarming. The context
and the recommendations of the so-called Autonomy
Committee indicate that the Report has nothing to
do with administrative devolution of federal
powers or the recommendations of the Sarkaria
Commission.
2. The report has
sinister motives. By making Kashmiri Muslim
sub-nationalism as the main plank for excluding
Jammu and Kashmir from the constitutional
organization of India, the National Conference has
spelled out its real objectives.
3. History is repeating
itself; the then National Conference Government,
led by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, used the pretext
of cold war to coerce the Indian leadership to
yield to his demand for an autonomous Muslim state
of Kashmir. Subsequently, the inherent politics of
National Conference pushed it to launch the
movement for Plebiscite. Instead of removing
the alienation of people through good governance
and participatory democracy and building the
political campaign against secessionism, the
present National Conference Government has not
given up its legacy and political style. It
is using the escalated terrorist violence in the
state to force Indian Political leadership
to dilute India’s sovereignty over Jammu and
Kashmir.
4. Why this sinister
report now! By seeking to limit the accession of
the state with India to only territory, devoid of
any constitutional or secular integration, the
NC’s Autonomy Report has outlined its
endorsement of the two-nation principle and
political separatism. For a secular country
like India where all people are equal, the seeking
of autonomy on the basis of a Muslim majority of a
part of India, is only reenactment of the
two-nation theory. The Autonomy Report
essentially aims to strengthen the ideological
basis of Muslim separatism in Jammu & Kashmir
State.
5. The import of the
Autonomy Report and the NC’s legacy of
practising the politics of “ethnic preferences
and ethnic exclusion” are aimed at building the
basis for an autonomous Muslim state on the
territory of India with a section of Kashmiri
Muslims belonging to a particular sect as its
ruling class.
6. The abettors of this
communally motivated autonomy politics, in the
Indian civil society, are trying to garner support
for the dangerous game of autonomy by manipulating
the national opinion through a section of English
press, electronic media and political lobbying.
They are the essential elements in the grand
international intrigue to undermine Indian
sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
7. We reemphasize that
the Report has nothing to do with the principles
of healthy federalism. The Autonomy Report,
if accepted and implemented, will deepen the
communal consciousness in the state leading
ultimately to its balkanisation and
separation from India.
8. The acceptance of the
Report is bound to have a devastating effect on
the morale and the resistance of the nationalist
forces confronting Pak sponsored terrorism in the
state. It will eventually facilitate
international intrigue aimed at dismantling the
strategic northern frontier of India.
9. With a deep commitment
to defend the integrity of India and
secularism as the ideological foundation of Indian
Nation State , we reject the arbitrary and
dangerous Autonomy Committee report framed by
National Conference Government.
10. It is imperative that
the challenges to the sovereignty and
integrity of India be fought through a
comprehensive political and military response.
11. In this context we
demand :
Political reorganization of the J&K state
which envisages Union Territory for Ladakh
region, separate state for Jammu, and creation
of Panun Kashmir with a Union Territory status
for 7 lakh internally displaced Kashmiri people.
A national consensus among the major national
political parties to fight unitedly the politics
of “religious sub-nationalism” feeding
secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir state.
This consensus must reject unambiguously the
concept of constitutional and territorial
“buffers” as detrimental to the sovereignty
of India.
A new unified command directly under the
Governor for tackling on a comprehensive basis
the internal subversion and terrorist violence
in the state.
We take this opportunity to bring home to the
nation that whatever has been perceived in Jammu
and Kashmir state in the name of “Kashmir
Policy” has left a trail of bitter ravages
suffered by the Buddhist of Ladakh, Kashmiri
Hindus and the Jammuites.
If this drift is allowed to persist the
responsibility for escalation of threats to the
sovereignty of India in J&K state will be
squarely on the ruling national leadership of
the country. On our part we reaffirm our
commitment to fight to the logical end the
mischievous designs of subverting India’s
sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir and dividing
the people of the state on the basis of religion
through the `Greater Autonomy’ ploy.
On this occasion we declare launching of a
`PEOPLES INITIATIVE ON PEACE AND UNITY’ to
carry the debate on the issues of security
threats and relationship of the state with
India.
While ruling National Conference has scuttled
all debate on the issue of Autonomy, this
initiative will work tirelessly to educate
people of country on the implications of
autonomy as envisaged by the National
Conference.
(T. Samphol)
Ladakh Budhists’ Association |
(Rajinder Jamwal)
Jammu Joint Students’ Federation |
(Dr.Ajay
Chrungoo)
Panun Kashmir |
|