'We Are Again Extending A Hand Of Friendship'

The Prime Minister's much-awaited visit to Srinagar began with a massive public meeting attended by around20,000 (estimates vary, some agency reports put the figure at around 30,000) people -- specially transportedby the ruling PDP, many said --  in Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium, guarded by thousands of police andparamilitary troopers, and expectedly he struck the right notes by saying,"We have come to share your pain and grief," offered a hand of friendship to Pakistan and dialoguewith people of Jammu and Kashmir to settle "internal and external issues" but made it clear thatguns cannot resolve problems.

'Hands should be extended from both the sides'

Speaking of Pakistan, he said,  "As Prime Minister of the country I wanted to have friendlyrelations with our neighbours and I went to Lahore, but it was returned with Kargil. We still continued andinvited General Pervez Musharraf to Agra but again failed ... We are again extending a hand of friendship buthands should be extended from both the sides. Both sides should decide to live together ... We have everythingwhich makes us want to have good relations ... we are busy in Delhi towards that and we need to worktogether". He said that both India and Pakistan should together resolve to live peacefully. The time hascome for ushering in a sea change in the sub-continental scenario as both the countries have many things incommon from nature to civilisation, he said.

Making a reference to Iraq, the Prime Minister said the war should have been averted as "I believe thegun is no solution to problems". It would only kill people and would not solve any problem. The time hadcome to change Kashmir's fate. "Sitting in Delhi we are concerned about Kashmir," he said amidthunderous applause.

'The doors of our heart will always remain open'

But more important was his reiteration of  the Centre's promise to hold talks with the people of Jammuand Kashmir and assuring complete support to the Mufti government. Without naming any separatist or militantgroup, he reiterated New Delhi's promise to hold a dialogue on both internal and external problems:

"I have said that every issue should be settled by talks. We are prepared (to talk to solve) internaland external issues. Not guns but brotherhood alone can resolve issues," he said. "The play of deathand destruction has to be stopped to let Kashmir be a garden where birds would sing again," he said, andrecited a couplet of famous Kashmiri poet Mehjoor, written for former Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullahafter the Dogra rule had ended in the state and he had taken over reins of the administration:

"Wala ho baghawano, nav baharuk shaan paida kar
pholan gul gath karan bulbul, timay saman paida kar " 

As Vajpayee completed the couplet in Kashmiri and began its translation ((let us build an atmosphere whereflowers bloom, birds chirp and play and it will be a paradise) thunderous applause greeted him with peopleraising slogans "Atal Bihari Vajpayee zindabad" 

He also said that the Centre would work in tandem with the new government to "change the face of thestate".He said the path of peace and brotherhood might be time-consuming but the people would have tobear it. "The doors of Delhi are always open and people (from J&K) are free to knock at them withtheir problems. We will never close the doors. The doors of our heart will always remain open," he added.

The Prime Minister said the talks should be based on "justice and humanity". "Din badle,mausam badle, bahaareiN phir aayengi (days have changed, weather has changed and spring will come again),"said Vajpayee when he sought co-operation of youths in re-building the state.  

Elections

Taking full credit for holding free and fair Assembly elections in the state, he congratulated the peoplefor exercising their democratic right "at grave risk to their lives and even daring death".

"It (elections) is a sacred right which can change your destiny and if it falls into wrong hands, it canlead to destruction. We should remember that after ages, through the democratic process we have got theopportunity to decide our fate"

He said people had ridiculed him when he announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort that free and fair pollswould be held in Jammu and Kashmir and a popular government would be installed in the state. "Some friends came and told me 'Vajpayeeji yeh kyakeh diya. Kashmir can never have free and fair elections. ... They asked which world I was living in asvotes cast here are not counted and, even if they are counted are not credited to the right party. I hadpromised free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir.  We held the elections and Mufti Mohammad Sayeedis now the chief minister of a new government.

Employment

Greeting the people on the occasion of Kashmiri new year "Navroz", the Prime Minister expressedthe hope that the state would witness an era of peace, prosperity and brotherhood.

The prime minister said information technology has provided a window of opportunity to the country's youth."Developed countries are looking at the rich human resource of our country. More and more people fromIndia are getting jobs abroad," he said.

Hoping that in the years to come Kashmir would regain its glory, Vajpayee said: "What isimportant is that Kashmiriyat should remain intact. I have laid the foundation stone for the expansion of theSrinagar airport. Soon, international flights would be able to take off and land there."

Earlier in the day, Vajpayee laid the foundation stone for Srinagar airport's expansion. Reporters werebarred from this function.

Observing that unemployment is one of the biggest problems in J&K, Vajpayee assured the people that theCentre would make all efforts to provide jobs. Like voting, employment should be made a right, he added.

Maintaining that the Centre would create new job avenues in various sectors including road construction andhousing, he said "it is our duty to make the Mufti government successful" He emphasised that his government wanted to "reduce the distance" between thecentre and the state and that was why the highway project had been launched.

He said he is heading a 25-party coalition government but "there is no dispute, no infightingand no squabble for power," and added "I can see the change in the situation in the (Kashmir) Valley. I am sure that onceagain there will be normalcy in the state. We should protect the democracy, humanity and 'Kashmiriyat' toachieve this goal."

In a lighter vein, he said "when I decided to come here, I was worried that it might rain. But MuftiSahib assured me that he has made arrangements for that. Now you have to think that if he can control therain, how fast the situation will improve under his leadership."

The Birds in pain

Predictably, the Hurriyat Conference which has called for a two-day strike to mark the prime-minister'svisit was not too pleased with whatever he had to say.

Abdul Gani Bhat, the chairman of the APHC, said the prime minister had offered nothingspecific to resolve the dispute."He talked of the garden, he talked of the spring. But he did not talk of the birds that are inpain," 

The chief minister, on the other hand, was more appreciative: "the Prime Minister gave a good addresswhich showed a conciliatory approach," he remarked after the address.

Replying to a question, Sayeed said "yes, the address met the expectations of the people ofKashmir." However, the general public appeared to be "disappointed" with Vajpayee's address asthere were expectations of an announcement of economic package or other concessions to the state.

"I do not know for what he has come here. There is no economic package nor did he announce lifting thefreeze on employment in Central Government offices," Aijaz Ahmad, an unemployed youth from down townSrinagar, said.

After the free and fair assembly elections in the state, expectations were high that Vajpayee wouldannounce a major package on the lines of the one for the North East.

Ghulam Rasool from Kupwara said he was expecting that the Prime Minister would lift the freeze onappointment of youth in government services. "I am disappointed," he added.

Though Vajpayee laid foundation stones for ambitious projects, people are not sure whether and when thebenefits would reach them.

"The airport and the North-South corridor are going to take years for completion, but our needs areimmediate. We need employment for our youth....We need revival of tourism," said Abdul Hamid who had comefrom Baramulla to listen to Vajpayee.

Hamid said many a youth had given up arms in the hope that they would be rehabilitated but no help has beencoming forward.

Farooq Ahmad from south Kashmir Anantnag district saw a "political design" in the PrimeMinister's speech. "Last year, he came here when the National Conference was ruling and announced apackage of more than Rs 6000 crore. But today what has he given to the state?" he asked.

Ahmad said he believed that "since PDP-Congress coalition is ruling the state, Vajpayee chose not toannounce any major package -- economic or otherwise" Last May, Vajpayee had announced in Srinagar aneconomic package of more than Rs 6000 crore which included the ambitious rail project and an alterante highwayto Leh from Manali in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

Bashir ahmad was, however, indifferent towards both th visit as well as speech of the prime minister."I knew nothing much is going to come out of this visit of Vajpayee. But people here were expecting thathe might announce initiation of a dialogue process with the separatists to resolve the Kashmir issue," headded.

The Gun Is No Way'

Earlier, the Chief Minister, Mr. Sayeed, welcoming the Prime Minister, strongly defended his "healingtouch" philosophy and said all disputes should be resolved through a dialogue: "If you have anystand, the gun is no way to achieve your goal. So leave it and come forward to seize the golden opportunity ofthe talks being held by Mr. Vohra". 

Complimenting the Prime Minister for having held free and fair elections to the state assembly, he said"you have shown the way for the political process by taking the initiative. This is yet anotheropportunity and I am confident that there is no other way to resolve the Kashmir problem except throughtalks." 

Praising the people of the state for not being cowed down during the Assembly elections by boycott callsgiven by militants, he said "it is a good opportunity for the people who voted and I am always thinkingof how to improve the lives of the people who had voted freely after a gap of 10 to 12 years." 

He said his government has drawn up a Common Minimum Programme to change the face of Jammu and Kashmir andthat as part of the healing touch, the security forces have been told that they should ensure that humanrights were not violated.

He said a situation has arisen when the youth should be provided employment so that they no longer wieldguns. "We should punish those who supply the weapons but not those who wield guns"

The Chief Minister said now more and more youth were coming forward and joining the armed forces unlikeearlier time when a lot of propaganda was carried on against joining the armed forces.

He said his government is now providing jobs to children of those who have been killed in militancy as"we want to end injustice".

General Strike

Earlier, the streets of Srinagar by and large wore a deserted look with the general public remainingindoors and shopkeepers forced to down their shutters in the wake of the strike call given by separatist andmilitant outfits to coincide with the visit of the Prime Minister

However, small groups of people under the watchful eyes of security personnel could be seen going towardsthe Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium where he was to address his first public meeting.

The roads in the valley, which has been virtually transformed into a Army cantonnment, was marked by heavydeployment of the security personnel, especially at the sensitive points.

Calling for a two-day strike coinciding with Vajpayee's visit, Hurriyat Conference has said the separatistconglomerate would extend full cooperation if a meaningful dialogue was initiated to resolve the Kashmirissue.

Pro-Pakistan militant outfit and other local militant organisations had also called for the strike againstthe prime ministers visit.

The presence of security personnel on the roads were unprecedented with the whole valley put on high alertand mobile police teams doing the patrolling in every nook and corner of the city.

The strike call disrupted the normal life affecting the day-to-day business activities and forcing theclosure of educational institutions and government offices in the valley. the educational institutes andgovernment offices in Jammu division were closed due to the gazzetted holiday on account of Good Friday.