The Truth Should Be Brought Before The Country'

It is a serious issue that deserves to be discussed seriously. Certaininvisible elements have been referred to have worked during the talks. It hasbeen disclosed by Pakistani President Mushraff on his return to Pakistan. Whowere those elements?

The truth should be brought before the country. It should also be toldwhether the statement by Mushraff saheb is true or false. Our Samajwadi Partyand the social movement have always been in favour that talks should continue tobe held between India and Pakistan. We are also in favour of it that our PrimeMinister holds talks with Pakistan in Islamabad, however we have to take allprecautions. This is because the Pakistan has been waging wars against India forthe last 54 years. We know it that Pakistan has been defeated whenever the warwas waged.

However, we have always failed in talks that we held with Pakistan. FormerDefence Minister has been appointed to hold talks to find a solution of Kashmirproblem. While he was holding talks in Srinagar, Laddakh or Jammu, theinvitation letter for talks was sent to Pakistan. Hence it should be made clearthat what were the circumstances that led this Government to invite him inhurry.

Mushraff saheb has hinted that the talks were held under some pressure fromthe foreign countries. We have no objection to it if a country helps toestablish friendship between the two countries. But we are never in favour ofmediation by a third party. So far as the friendship is concerned, we appreciatethe fact that the friendship is must between the two country for the sake ofprosperity of the two people.

This friendship between India and Pakistan is all the more necessary in viewof the fact that we have been culturally the one people and India is a big andstrong country. This fact is also regrettable that while the Pakistani delegateswere talking in their own language, we were speaking in English. It is not agood thing that we falter on this account.

The people of both the countries want solidarity and we are not against it.Pakistani President stated unless Kashmir issue is solved, there would be allpossibility of a war. Our Government should have made it clear that the talkswould not focus on the core issue of Kashmir alone.

It is a fact that we released 90 thousand Pakistani prisoners of war whilethey have still in their custody 54 or 100 Indian prisoners and we have failedto get them released so far. This is the biggest failure on our part. In thebackdrop of talks the kith and kins of those prisoners had a hope that has beendashed to the ground. We may not make blunders if we learn lessons from our pastfollies.

The attack on the Amarnath pilgrims by the terrorists is an act that deservesto be condemned and these attacks are tarnishing the glorious civilization andculture of the Kashmir. Our Government has totally failed to rein in terrorists.It is a matter of shame for us that our jawans lay down their lives for thecountry and the President of a country claims that the Pakistani army waswithdrawn by his good offices.

This Government also took the mileage of Kargil war during the elections. Thetruth should be brought before the country whether Clinton is speaking truth orthis Government. Even a book has been brought out in this regard. Aspersions arebeing cast on the sacrifices made by our jawans. Pakistani President says in hisPress Conference that the people fighting for freedom in Kashmir are doing whatMuktivahini Sena did in 1971. Such statements are misleading the people of boththe countries.

40 per cent territory of Kashmir is still under illegal occupation ofPakistan. Should we not bring this fact before the world? This Government needsto highlight this fact that Pakistan is illegally occupying 40 per centterritory of our Kashmir.

It is unfortunate that whosoever has been in power in Pakistan whether adictator or democratically elected person has been working under the pressurefrom the extremist forces there. However, the head of the Government inPakistan, a dictator or democratically elected well know this fact that theKashmir cannot be grabbed by force. We have to rise above narrow consideration.

We can find a solution to this problem only after we adopt open-mindedapproach. The Government have to hold talks and to ensure the security of theborders. Our foreign policy supports democratic system. The foreign policy ofIndia had been formulated by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia under the leadership of Pt.Nehru and Gandhiji.

No agenda was prepared for Agra Summit. We advised you to tell Pakistan thatIndo-Pak problem cannot be solved by force. It can be solved throughnegotiations only. But the talks cannot be held at the cost of prestige of thecountry. The Government should tell the world that Pakistan has to give backpart of Kashmir occupied by it. I hope that the Government will hold talks withfull preparation in future because no preparation was made for Agra Summit andmedia was not able to help you in any manner. Agra Summit was a total failureand it was a diplomatic failure also.