Parliament's consent

Lucknow, Dec 24 (UNI) Former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today warned the Centre against making any compromise on the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir issue and sought the tabling in Parliament of a non-paper on the border state by India to Pakistan.

Addressing the concluding session of the BJP's three-day national conclave here, Mr Advani feared that the Manmohan Singh Government was trying to enter into an agreement with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on the border state and ''in pursuance of that, a so-called paper had been sent to Islamabad.'' Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri had recently disclosed during an interview to a TV channel that India had given them a non-paper which he claimed' is a welcome advance towards the settlement of Kashmir,' Mr Advani said.

Mr Advani visualised a link between the non-paper and President Musharraf's recently mooted four-point formula on Kashmir, including a suggestion of a joint administration in the state by both the countries. His fear was ''compounded'' by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent statement hailing Gen Musharraf's formula.

The BJP leader said the country would not accept any such deal and asked the Government to take Parliament into confidence about the contents of the so-called non-paper. The non-paper is non-official unsigned document given by one government to another on certain issues, Mr Advani said.

When Gen Musharraf made his first public statement about a four-point formula for Kashmir no one in the country took it seriously. ''But all those who have anything to do with national security were shocked to hear Dr Manmohan Singh welcoming the General's formula.'' The formula amounts to granting ''independence'' to the part of Kashmir which is with India, Mr Advani said.

A concerned Advani said the proposal for 'joint administration' amounts to renouncing India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir state. ''The country cannot allow this Government (UPA) to disregard the unanimous resolution of Parliament with regard to the State,'' he added.

Mr Advani said Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had committed an historic blunder when he, against Sardar Vallab Bhai Patel's advice, referred the issue of Pakistan's aggression on J&K to US Security Council.

But even he (Mr Nehru) did not hesitate for a moment in taking stern action against the then Chief Minister the moment he came to the conclusion that plans were afoot to make the State ''independent''.

The BJP leader lambasted the UPA Government for resorting to ''minority appeasement'' and said a number of decisions being taken by the Congress-led coalition vindicated the party's charge.

Editors: here Pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI KAS/NB ATI RP HT1527