PM-Farooq meet Govt's way of undoing a wrong -- NC

PM-Farooq meet Govt's way of undoing a wrong -- NC
MUZAMIL JALEEL

SRINAGAR, JULY 15: Calling the recent offer of a dialogue by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee the realisation that the Union cabinet's decision of rejecting the autonomy resolution was ``wrong and unfair'', the National Conference today deferred its decision on parting ways with National Democratic Alliance till after the forthcoming crucial meeting between Farooq Abdullah and the Prime Minister.

``The first meeting between our president (Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah)and Prime minister will reveal the kind and quality of the dialogue. Theoutcome of this meeting will determine whether to remain in NDA or not,''said State Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister P L Handoo. ``Theworking committee will meet again immediately after our president returns from Delhi. He will report about his deliberations with the Prime Minister and then a decision will be taken,'' he said.

Handoo admitted the context of today's meeting was slightly differentfrom the previous session, in view of the Prime Minister's invitation.Giving a maximum time-frame of six months for the outcome of the dialogue,Handoo and another senior NC Minister Ghulam Mohideen Shah said the partywas committed to pursue the resolution.

In fact Shah, who headed the State Autonomy Committee after Karan Singh'sresignation, went a step further by saying the report had become thepolitical Bible of the party. ``We will have to do it. We are bound bythe resolution passed by the House,'' he said. Shah said they would nothesitate even to pull out of NDA ``as and when needed ''. He said the partywas ready to go through the period of struggle again.

When asked what the agenda of the dialogue between Chief MinisterFarooq Abdullah and the Prime Minister would be, Handoo shouted back: ``The basis of the dialogue will be our State Autonomy Report and not the length of my nose''. He said: ``Those who wish to talk to us should keep in view theresolution passed by the House which calls for a positive and effectiveimplementation'' of the State Autonomy Report.

What prompted Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to call the Chief Ministerfor a dialogue after the summary rejection of the State Assembly resolution on autonomy? Handoo was categoric. ``It is a realisation that they (Union Cabinet) were wrong and unfair in rejecting the resolution,'' he said. He blamed the ``compulsions of coalition politics'' to be the main reason for the outright rejection of their resolution.

Is the National Conference ready to compromise on the quantum of autonomysought in the State Autonomy Report in view of the recent reconciliatoryapproach taken by the Centre, senior NC cabinet minister and the architect of the State autonomy report Abdul Rahim Rather said: ``There will be no compromise on principles''. Handoo joined his colleague and said the bottom line was autonomy and nothing else.

``There is no line below autonomy. We are headlong committed to pursue theresolution passed by the State Assembly,'' he said. Calling the recent statements made by senior BJP leaders as irresponsible, Handoo said: ``These matters will also be discussed.''

Referring to a recent statement of BJP spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu,Handoo said it showed his ignorance about the history of Kashmir. Hesaid they had clarified to the Centre that their autonomy demandwas entirely different from similar demands by other states of thecountry.