NC to avoid confrontation with Centre 8212; Sagar

He, however, made it clear that the State Government was not choosing the path of confrontation with the Centre. quot;The issue has itself generated enough debate and several people in the media and political analysts have favoured the position taken by the State Government,quot; he said.

quot;However, we regretted the way that the rejection was made by the Centre8230;They did not find it even worth reading,quot; he said, adding, quot;We had asked for a debate on the issue, which was not even given a thought.quot;

Sagar said the decision was quot;unfortunatequot; and quot;discourteousquot; which was done at the behest of the Sangh Parivar.

Asked whether RSS and VHP had a role to play in the Cabinet decision, he said, quot;Obviously yes, Shiv Sena also8230; It is the internal politics of BJP which has played a vital role in the Cabinet decision.quot;

Sagar made it clear that the decision would in no way mean that the National Conference would scale down the demand of autonomy for the state.

Asked about the bandh observed in the Jammu region and protest rally organised in Leh, Sagar said his party joined the election process in the State and bagged 16 of the 37 seats from Jammu and three of the four seats from Ladakh.

quot;Does it not signify that people in these two regions were in favour of autonomy being granted to the State?quot; the Minister asked.

He claimed that the report was formulated after thorough consultations with all sections of people in the state.

quot;Even the autonomy committee constituted by the State Government had equal representation from all three regions of the state,quot; he said.

About reports that the autonomy resolution was put to vote only to sabotage the process of talks between the Centre and Hurriyat leaders, he said, quot;We have time and again reiterated our stand that we are not against any process of dialogue and we are sticking to it.quot;

The slogan of greater autonomy for the state was raised during a working committee meeting of National Conference in Jammu in early 90s, much before the Hurriyat Conference was formed, the Minister added.

Sagar asked the Centre to compensate the state for the revenue loss on account of the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960.

quot;As per the treaty, the State will not make use of the three rivers 8212; Jhelum, Chenab and Indus 8212; leaving the State high and dry, its agricultural sector being the main sufferer,quot; he said.

The Minister said the State had been drawing the Centre8217;s attention to this problem ever since the treaty had been signed.

As per the estimate made by the State Government in 1975, there was a net loss of Rs 352 crore which would have increased manifold by now, he said.