Jammu: BJP leader LK Advani on Wednesday said
continuous efforts were being made to "demonise" the Army and
asked the government not to take any decision on the issue of
withdrawal of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir without the armed
force's consent.
"I feel at this point of time, Government of India should
say with determination, whatever we will do in Jammu and
Kashmir as far as this Act is concerned, we will not do
anything without the consent of Army," Advani said during his
Jan Chetana Yatra here.
Advani, who arrived in Jammu as a part of his 40th day
country-wide rath yatra against corruption and blackmoney,
said, "If Army agrees (on AFSPA revocation), then do it or if
not then do not do it".
The BJP leader said "there should be a firm stand on it
(AFSPA). There should be no hesitation".
"Due to Army, Jammu and Kashmir has remained a part of the
country. They are keeping it as a part of the country. But
continued attempts are being made to demonise the Army- be it
AFSPA or else. It is projected that Jammu and Kashmir has a
problem and it is Army," Advani said.
"If there are any excesses it should be corrected. We
also get some examples of excesses regarding Manipur. It
should be done away," he said adding, "But in Jammu and
Kashmir there should be a separate and firm approach."
Advani alleged that Army persons were getting
"humiliated". "They are getting hurt by these statements. They
are fighting for the country to keep Jammu and Kashmir part of
the country by sacrificing their lives, but are still
accused."
Maintaining that Kashmir is an old problem, he said,
"There are various states where problems do occur but they
also get resolved later. J&K is such a state where there is
problem from the inception and has not yet ended."
Taking a dig at the government, Advani said, "I have a
complaint with this government that there is no firm policy on
terrorism. There is no clarity on it."
During the six-year rule of NDA, the BJP leader said "we
maintained that we will have friendship with Pakistan but
there will be zero tolerance to terrorism in Kashmir. We
thought the UPA government will continue this policy of NDA
but they keep changing their stand regularly."
Pakistan has also interest that there should be good
relationship with India as there are also "good people" in
that country, he said, adding "... but Pak government has no
control over their country and Pakistan has no control over
terrorists".
"If India will show weakness towards terrorism, it would
be our loss. Now a new word has been coined as far as
terrorism is concerned in the country- It is Indian
Mujahideen," he said.
"It is said that they are Indian and they do terrorism
which I do not accept. If Government of Pakistan and ISI would
have a clear attitude towards terrorism and there would be no
support to it, there would be no Indian Mujahideen. It would
be wiped out," Advani said.
IANS
First Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 16:00