8216;When PM can offer talks to separatists what is wrong in talking autonomy8217;

As far as becoming Prime Minister of India is concerned, I am realistic enough to realise that a person from Jammu and Kashmir, belonging to a political party that at best will contribute six seats to the Lok Sabha will never make it to the post of Prime Minister. So my ambitions are tempered by an understanding of reality. Given the international importance of Jammu and Kashmir, anything I do there will be important to national politics. Will I remain in the Government of India or move to the State Government? Well, lets just let the elections decide that.

You being the Minister for External Affairs, is it justified on your part to raise the issue of autonomy for J038;K. It seems if Farooq Abdullah had been made the President or Vice-President, you might not have raised this issue.
Anurag Maheshwari

Raising Autonomy issue has nothing to do with my being a minister in the Government t of India or my father becoming President or Vice President. It has to do with the aspirations of the people of the state I belong to and the commitment of the party I am the president of.

Autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir is enshrined, or at least was supposed to be, in the Constitution of India. Nothing we are asking for is out side the Constitution. When my Prime Minister can offer talks to separatists who demand Pakistan or azadi under the umbrella of 8220;insaniyat8221; then what is wrong in talking about autonomy with in the provisions of the Constitution.

Would you please tell us why after 55 years of Independence we could not get the confidence of Kashmiri people? Will mere autonomy8212;in the absence of development8212;help?
Ritik Karwasra, Surat

This is a question that is difficult to answer in this forum. The answer is long and can at times be seen as being very controversial. It has so much to do with promises made that have not been kept. Mistakes made by the Government of India and I dare say by Governments in the State as well.

Dismissing democratically elected governments and replacing them with puppets as if to say that that the people8217;s choice does not matter. Why after 55 years of Independence is there only one road in to Kashmir and in to Ladakh? Why has it taken more than 20 years for a train to reach Udhampur, and still show no signs of getting there and God knows when it will reach Srinagar from Jammu as opposed to coming from Qazigund? When Public Sector investment was the only means of economic development why were only two units set up in the whole state? How come Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh never got an international airport even one when even Guwahati could get one?

The majority of people have confidence in India and its institutions, there will always be a minority, a very vocal minority, but a minority none the less for whom the grass will always be greener on the other side. Autonomy does not seek to replace development nor does the call for autonomy seek to hide a lack of development. No one, in this day and age, would be foolish enough to believe that a party or government will be able to get away with an absence of development by calling for autonomy. The two must go together, they have done so in the last 5 1/2 of our Government in the state and will continue to do so.

What is your reaction to Colin Powell8217;s stress on allowing international observers for the Kashmir elections?
P.S. Hariharan

The Government of India has made it very clear that there will be no international observers for any elections in India including the ones in Jammu and Kashmir. Interested people may travel in their individual capacity on tourist visas and are free to travel around the country including in J038;K.

Can Kashmir survive as an autonomous country? Do you think after all these years of money used in development, it is justifiable to allow Kashmir to separate? What example will it set for the countless other 8220;separatist8221; movements in other states?
Arvind Swaminathan

There is no question of an autonomous country. The autonomy that the state govt. or my party are talking about is not from India but within the constitution of India as had been decided when the state acceeded to India after 1947. There fore the oher questions do not arise as far as my party is concerned.

What is your solution to the Kashmir problem and what are your reasons for this plans?
Subhash Khot

I do not have a solution to the 8220;Kashmir Problem8221;. If I did I would have used it by now rather then let innocent people die every day. No one person, group or country can resolve the disagreements or solve the problems unilaterally. The matters that are internal to the state like development, jobs, human rights, autonomy will be discussed and addressed by the Govt. of India with the people of Jammu and Kashmir through their legitimately elected representatives in the assembly and in Parliament.

The external dimension, which is Pakistan8217;s support to terrorism and the dialog about Jammu and Kashmir under the umbrella of the Simla Agreement will be addressed by the Government of India. This is the only way forward that I can see.

Will autonomy to Kashmir bring the peace, when cross-border terrorism is on?
Shantanu Kulkarni

Autonomy is part of a process but is not a stand-alone solution either to terrorism or to replace the development activity going on in the state. Development, autonomy and a strong stand, military and diplomatic, against terrorism will all work together to speed up the return to normalcy.