Omar for truce in J&K; If Vajpayee can...why can't Congress

Srinagar, Nov 30 (UNI) National Conference (NC) chief Omar Abdullah has urged the Centre to announce an unconditional and unilateral ''winter ceasefire'' in Jammu and Kashmir and expressed the hope that militants would reciprocate.

''If former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee could announce the Ramzan ceasefire in 2002 when the ground situation was grim, why can't the Congress-led UPA government in New Delhi announce truce this time when the conditions are much better,'' he said at a party convention here.

Mr Abdullah, a former Union Minister, termed as a ''golden opportunity'' the conditional truce offered by the Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council (UJC), a conglomerate of militant outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

''New Delhi should respond to the offer without wasting any time.

You cannot expect the UJC to keep on repeating the offer. They have taken the initiative and New Delhi should immediately grab this golden opportunity,'' the NC president said.

The three conditions set by the UJC were not ''severe'' at all, he said, adding the UJC has demanded the release of prisoners, reduction of troops to pre-1989 position and an immediate end to the human rights violations.

''And our (NC) demands are the same. My advice to New Delhi is to announce the ceasefire and hold a dialogue with militants.'' Mr Abdullah also demanded a probe into a grenade blast at Tangmarg on Tuesday in which 12 people, including seven tourists, were wounded. ''It is amazing that a blast took place in such a high security zone. It needs to be probed,'' he added.

UNI AG VA KN1454