Direct and immediate talks with the "Sangharsh Samiti" in Jammu is the key to bring about peace in Jammu & Kashmir. The BJP demands that the Central Government should initiate dialogue with an open mind and readiness to reverse its controversial decision to withdraw the land allotment. The Government should not make any point an unnecessary prestige issue. The success of the democratic process depends upon the sensitivity of the Central Government. A negotiated settlement is possible only if the government shows its readiness to correct its earlier mistakes. The BJP is of the opinion that the situation will normalise soon provided the government adopts a pragmatic position that redresses the core grievances of the people.

The crisis in Jammu is the result of the insensitivity of the central government towards the feeling of hurt and aspirations of the people of the Jammu region particularly over the last 38 days. The agitation is a people's movement and the Congress, PDP, NC and even non-party people are actively participating in the agitation in large numbers. The people of all religions are also part of the agitation. The total neglect of the anger of the people has resulted in the worsening of the situation. The people of Jammu region and elsewhere in the country have started to believe that the government, which buckled under the pressure from the separatists from the valley, is now adamant in ignoring the sentiments of the people of Jammu. This feeling can be removed by accepting the roadmap suggested by the BJP.

The BJP reiterates its stand that direct talks, revoking the decision on the land issue and recalling the Governor will solve the problem. The BJP will continue with its plan to launch "Jail Bharo" agitation for three days beginning 11th of August 2008. All the leaders, MPs and MLAs as well as elected representatives will court arrest along with the people in all the state capitals. The BJP is organizing this peaceful protest on all Raj Bhawans to educate the people of the country and to preserve secular fabric of our country. The Country must understand that a false impression was created by separatists that if land is allotted to the Shrine Board, it will erect permanent structures and ensure Hindu settlement and will change the demography of the state. Instead of negating this communal propaganda, the Congress government bucked under this unjustified pressure and revoked the land allotment.

The Congress has posed five questions for the BJP but curiously has not posed any question to Mr. Mirwaiz of the Hurriyat Conference, who is talking about direct trade with Pakistan and even crossing of the LOC. Congress is not asking any question to the Governor, who by his conduct has exemplified what insensitivity means. The Congress is not posing the question to the PDP, who created the mischief by launching false propaganda on the land issue. The Congress is not posing a question to Mr. Omar Abdullah, who asserted that it was the question of land only. Congress must understand that the agitation is not communal but the mischievous and false propaganda launched by the separatists in the valley about "demographic change" was in reality communal.

(Shyam Jaju)
Headquarter-in-charge