'Round Table only disc Mush agenda on Kashmir'

New Delhi, Apr 24: The BJP today warned the UPA Government that any number of round table conferences on Kashmir issue would not succeed unless the long pending problems of refugees from West Pakistan, Pak-occupied Kashmir and Kashmiri pandits were adequately addressed.

The party said the third Round Table Conference on Kashmir issue, held today, had drifted away from its original agenda and was embroiled on issues like soft borders, autonomy, self-governance, demilitarisation and withdrawal of anti-terror laws, economic independence and joint management of state's natural resources, often echoed by secessionist forces which were no different from "Musharraf's Agenda".

"BJP is of the view that unless a holistic approach is taken and due importance is given to original terms and references of the Round Table Conference, the effort will fall flat and produce no tangile results and will promote secessionism," said party spokesman Prakash Javadekar.

As per the BJP, the conference was supposed to address issues like strengthening Centre-state relations, rule of law, secularism, pluralism,justice and equity.

The party accused the UPA Government of promoting 'soft secessionism" by being soft towards militancy and "divergent actions of state government." The Round Table, the party said, did not speak about human rights of Kashmiri Pandits but assuaged the feelings of only militants. Besides these conferences did not chalk out any action plan to have a balanced regional development of all the regions--Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh-- of the state.

The party said its concerns stood vindicated by the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly which shot down four bills aiming to include secularism, socialism in the state constitution, protect Hindu shrines, allow only national flags to be hoisted at government buildings and reducing assembly tenure from 6 to 5 years at the behest of Congress,PDP and National Conference but passed only one bill, seeking to implement Shariat laws in the state.

UNI