DATE=7/4/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDIA/KASHMIR (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-264051
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
INTRO: In India, the federal government has rejected
a proposal to grant greater autonomy to the troubled
state of Jammu and Kashmir. As Anjana Pasricha
reports from New Delhi, the government says granting
more autonomy to Kashmir will weaken India's national
unity.
TEXT: At a special meeting Tuesday, Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee's cabinet unanimously rejected a
resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir state
assembly asking for wide autonomy for the insurgency-
wracked state.
The resolution had proposed limiting the federal
government's authority in Jammu and Kashmir to
finance, defense, foreign affairs and communications.
It suggested that the state should have its own
constitution, flag and prime minister, as it did
before 1953.
Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani says his government
is not opposed to granting more powers to the states.
But giving Kashmir the wide autonomy it has asked for
will trigger similar demands from other states, he
says, and weaken India's national integrity.
/// ADVANI ACT ///
After all, if we were to accept this, then it
would certainly set in motion certain trends
which are not conducive for national unity, and
therefore it is that we emphasize that while we
are in favor of devolution of powers to the
state, we would not like to do anything which
weakens the country's national fabric.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Advani urged the Kashmir government to concentrate
on ending the separatist insurgency and terrorism in
the state.
Rejection of the autonomy proposal will put the New
Delhi government in confrontation with the National
Conference party in Kashmir, which spearheaded the
proposal. The National Conference has reacted angrily
to the government's decision, calling it
"unfortunate", and says it will press ahead with its
demand. The party says autonomy is the only solution
to the decade-long separatist insurgency in Kashmir,
which has claimed more than 30-thousand lives.
The central government's firm rejection of the
autonomy proposal has come faster than expected.
Earlier, Mr. Vajpayee had said it would be discussed
within the framework of the Indian constitution. Mr.
Advani had indicated it would be placed before
Parliament, but this will not happen now.
The resolution asking for more autonomy in Kashmir had
been strongly opposed by national political parties,
including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the
main opposition Congress Party. They fear granting
Kashmir more autonomy will lead to the country's
break-up.
For different reasons, several separatist leaders in
Kashmir have also opposed the proposal. They say
regional autonomy will not satisfy the aspirations of
people in the state. (Signed)
NEB/AP/WTW
04-Jul-2000 09:58 AM EDT (04-Jul-2000 1358 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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