Statement by the Home Minister L.K. Advani on situation in Jammu & Kashmir in Parliament

August 9, 2000
New Delhi

On July 24, 2000, the Hizbul Mujahideen announced a unilateral ceasefire and publicly expressed a willingness to initiate talks with the Government of India. The Government of India responded positively to the offer.

The people of Jammu & Kashmir enthusiastically welcomed the development.

Yesterday’s announcement by Hizbul Mujahideen that the ceasefire has been withdrawn has naturally come as a deep disappointment to all those who were looking forward to a return of peace to J&K state.

The nature, location, context and content of the announcement by Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin can leave no doubt in anybody’s mind that it is Pakistan which has sabotaged the prospects of peace in the State.

The offer of ceasefire was made by Majid Dar, a leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, in Srinagar. It was withdrawn by Salahuddin in Islamabad.

It is clear that the voice that made the announcement may have been Salahuddin’s, but the words came from the ruling establishment in Islamabad which is the arch patron for numerous militants groups engaged in State sponsored cross border terrorism in J&K and other parts of India.

The Hizbul Mujahideen leader has said that his organisation withdrew from the proposed talks because of India’s unwillingness to invite Pakistan as the third participant in the talks. This has precisely been the demand of Pakistan’s military establishment, which it has expressed on several occasions in the past but most shrilly after Hizbul Mujahideen announced its ceasefire and its readiness to have talks with the Government of India.

Indeed all statements from Islamabad since July 24 made it obvious that the ceasefire did not fit in with Pakistan’s design of continuously promoting terrorism in J&K.

Pakistan’s determination to sabotage the talks became known with deadly clarity when extremists trained and armed on its soil created a mayhem of massacres in J&K on August 1 & 2 leaving over 100 innocent persons dead.

It is not difficult to know why Pakistan struck terror on such an unprecedented scale and soon thereafter sabotaged our initiative for talks with some representatives of our own people. The rules of Pakistan are terrorized by the prospect of peace in J&K. They were similarly terrorized by the prospect of friendship with India following Prime Minister, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee’s historic peace initiative in Lahore.

Kargil war was the result of their fear of peace in 1999. The brutal killing of the Amarnath Yatris and other innocent people is the result of their fear of peace in 2000.

Just as India could not be frightened by the war inflicted by Pakistan in Kargil, we shall not be frightened by the intensification of proxy war by Islamabad now. Pakistan had to face a humiliating and self-damaging defeat in the Kargil war. Similar will be its fate in its proxy war against India.

India’s sincere desire for restoration of peace and normalcy in J&K and a comprehensive and lasting solution to the issue of Kashmir are now clearly established.

Not only the people of Kashmir but also people all over the world now clearly know who is for peace and who is for hostilities; whose is the voice of sanity and humanity and whose is a voice of subterfuge and sabotage.

The Hon’ble Members of this House must also have noticed the negative role played by the Hurriyat leadership in this entire episode. From the beginning, their response to the Hizbul initiative was not just cold, they even labeled it as a ‘hasty’move. Perhaps they forgot that Jammu & Kashmir has been in a bloodied turmoil for the last more than a decade. Under the circumstances how could this peace initiative be called ‘hasty’? It seems that the Hurriyat leadership was acting under pressure from Pakistan. They certainly did not act in the interest of Jammu & Kashmir and thus compromised the well being of the people of the State.

In the days and months to come India will not deviate from its chosen course of talks with all those in Kashmir who eschew the path of terror and violence and our simultaneous battle against all those who continue to stick to that path. We shall persist with our policy of firmness and flexibility.

Our security forces are ready to face the challenge and threat of renewed militancy in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. In fact, it is the militant outfits which should worry because they have the Indian security forces and the never-say-die spirit of the Indian soldier to face. More importantly they have the strength of Indian democracy to contend with.

India has all along maintained that the question of a dialogue with Pakistan is a separate issue. Prime Minister, Shri Vajpayee has made it clear that India is willing to talk with Pakistan on all matters of bilateral concern when Islamabad demonstrates its resolve to end cross border terrorism.

Prime Minister Vajpayee's statement in Parliament regarding the recent massacre in Jammu & Kashmir

New Delhi
August 4, 2000

I visited Pahalgam and Srinagar on Thursday to study the situation arising out of recent massacre in various places in Jammu and Kashmir and of pilgrims at Pahalgam. I am thankful to Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Shri Somnath Chatterjee, Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shri Yerrannaidu and Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad for agreeing to join me at such short notice. My colleagues Shri George Fernandez, Ms. Mamta Bannerjee and Shri Chaman Lal Gupta also joined me along with Chief of Army Staff.

From Srinagar the Governor and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir accompanied us. Our visit was also intended to assure people of the state that the entire nation stood by them at this hour and to share their grief over the inhuman behavior of the terrorists against innocent people belonging to the state as well as many from other parts of the country on pilgrimage to Amarnath.

The briefing which we were given by the chief of unified command and security forces, made it clear that perpetrators of these heinous crimes were foreigners. Arms and ammunitions recovered from them clearly establish their links with Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Delegations of local population as well as pilgrims met me and spoke to me about the difficulties many were facing in the wake of the killings.

The house, I am sure, is one with me in assuring the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the nation that we will not yield before terrorism. I may add that while the fight against terrorism will be continued, India will not give up efforts for restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

I made it clear at Srinagar that the dialogue with Hizbul Mujahideen is a part of this effort. Other groups who have chosen the path of violence should also realize that the people of Jammu and Kashmir want peace in the state. It is futile for them to continue on the path of violence. They should come forward for talks with the government for redressal of their grievances.

An update on terrorist killings in Jammu & Kashmir

August 3, 2000

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, accompanied by main Opposition Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Defense Minister George Fernandes, visited some of the areas in Jammu & Kashmir where militants killed more 100 people. He told reporters that groups owing allegiance to Pakistan had sought to derail the peace process.

"We have come here to express our solidarity with the people who have been killed. The militants are behind these killings. This is a conspiracy by Pakistan and no one should have doubts about it," Vajpayee told reporters.

"There will be a court of inquiry set up to probe the killings so that no doubts remain. All people should condemn the barbaric incident. The Hizbul Mujahideen has already condemned it ... other militant organizations should also come forward."

Prime Minister Vajpayee speaking in the Parliament yesterday has said, the government will not succumb to the pressure unleashed by Pakistan-controlled terrorist outfits to hamper the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani said the government would continue its efforts for a dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir. Making a detailed statement in both Houses, Mr. Advani described the massacre as a determined bid by those upset at the prospects of peace. He asserted if Haizbul Mujahideen remains firm on the peace initiatives, the government will respond positively. Mr. Advani said the incidents are part of the continuing proxy war being waged by Pakistan against India.

Earlier President K.R. Narayanan and Vice-President Krishan Kant condemned the killings. The President said he was shocked and deeply grieved to learn of the mindless killings of innocent people. "To kill pilgrims, laborers, ordinary and innocent men and women in the name of Jehad is the height of barbarism and inhumanity," he said. We must all stand together and condemn such violence which is against our culture and ethos," Mr. Narayanan said.

The security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir was reviewed at a high level meeting held in Srinagar. The State has been put on high alert following the killings. The Chief Minister, Dr. Abdullah along with the Governor Mr. G.C. Saxena visited the massacre sites.

The State government says there is enough evidence to suggest that the Lashkar-e-Toiba was behind the latest series of killings in the State. In New Delhi, an information cell has been opened at the Jammu and Kashmir Resident Commissioner’s Office to give information on the Pahalgam massacre.

The US President, Mr. Bill Clinton telephoned Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee last night to convey his deepest sympathies and support for India following the massacres in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 24 hours. He added that he would speak to the leaders of Pakistan and do everything possible to contain such activities. President Clinton also expressed his admiration for the Prime Minister’s positive response to the ceasefire offer of the Hizbul Mujahideen.