Denial in dribs and drabs

There is nothing like a good conspiracy theory to liven up an election campaign. None of the scandals brought up by political heavyweights in the last few weeks has been really airworthy. But now half-way through the election comes one that sounds more promising, the so-called secret Vajpayee-Sharif deal on Kashmir. Several factors improve the chances of this scandal actually getting off the ground. The government, for one, is doing its best to make it take off because of its reluctance to put its cards on the table all at once. By not speaking out fully and explaining all, the government is making the classic mistake of leaving the initiative with its opponents. When information is teased out of the government bit by bit, when the government reacts to charges by yielding one more morsel of information each time, it is seen to be acting defensively. That causes the old needle of suspicion to swing wildly. Slowly but surely the way the Vajpayee government is handling it, is helping to make the 8220;secret deal8221;fly. Pakistan8217;s politicians are bound to pump up the conspiracy. As they flesh out the bare bones of the story of Niaz Naik8217;s secret talks in New Delhi during the Kargil war they do so in ways that further their own domestic political or foreign policy agendas. Naturally none of it is calculated to play well in India. The Prime Minister8217;s principal secretary, Brajesh Mishra, is very mistaken to think that he can counter Pakistani propaganda with a few television sound bites. It is just not credible that the Indian government would have encouraged Niaz Naik to make a secret visit in order to tell him privately what had already been said a hundred times publicly, that Pakistan must withdraw its troops from India8217;s side of the LoC! Niaz Naik stands a cut above the average Pakistani politician, according to those who know him in India. Therefore, what he says will not be dismissed as empty rhetoric. In any case, even before the revelations in Pakistan about his mission, questions were being asked in India becauseof the gaps in the Vajpayee government8217;s version of the story.

This scandal is likely to be airborne unless the government punctures it fast and effectively. It should be simple enough to do that. Atal Behari Vajpayee should explain his reasons for opening a back channel to Nawaz Sharif at the height of the Kargil war. Back channel diplomacy has worked in other crisis situations around the world and Vajpayee was entitled to try to bring the hostilities on the border to a quick end through negotiations. If that was the case, let him say so. He should be confident of being understood by the people who have the right to be properly informed about the government8217;s intentions and objectives. Indeed it is essential for Vajpayee to make the effort because a caretaker government is especially vulnerable to attack on grounds of exceeding its authority. Finally it would do good to reassure the country that there were no secret deals on Kashmir nor will there be any in the future. Vajpayee should reiterate hiscommitment to seeking a consensus on all issues of national importance and on Kashmir above all.