PM's Round Table on J

New Delhi, May 26: Expressing its disappointment over the direction of the second Round Table on Jammu and Kashmir hat concluded yesterday, the BJP today said it had become a counter-productive if not a futile exercise, because it opened up an agenda for autonomy and self-rule in the sensitive state.

BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley said initially when the Round Table was proposed, the whole exercise seemed to be futile bid and another non-event, but after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that the talks would also look into the demand for autonomy and self-rule, it had now become a launching pad for discussing these contentious issues.

The conference held on May 24-35 was chaired by Dr Singh who constituted five high-powered groups to look into various issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir.

One of these groups was assigned to ''deliberate on effective devolution of powers to meet aspirations of different regions and the state's special status within the Indian Union''.

Mr Jaitley said he failed to understand the purpose of the whole exercise because the attendence was thin and the conference was boycotted by many groups, including those representing Leh and Ladakh.

About Congress president Sonia Gandhi accusing the BJP governments in the states of ''hijacking'' credit for UPA programmes, Mr Jaitley said the Congress party was searching for reasons for two years of non-performance.

UNI

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