0
NEW DELHI, Aug 15: India celebrated its 55th Independence Day amid tight security and high apprehension on Thursday, but the peaceful conclusion of nationwide ceremonies appeared to raise hopes of talks with Pakistan as hinted by President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
A no-fly zone was declared over the Indian capital from early Thursday morning and several domestic flights were cancelled as Vajpayee addressed the nation from behind a wall of bullet-proof glass atop the Mughal-built Red Fort.
In Srinagar too, there were reports of a clutch of ceremonies that passed off relatively peacefully despite official fears of militant attacks.
Vajpayee, speaking in Hindi, said: “India wants to live in peace with (Pakistan) like a good neighbour and it is prepared to take more steps in this direction.” However, a congenial atmosphere had to be created by Pakistan, he said.
In reference to President Pervez Musharraf’s speech on Wednesday in which he had criticized the proposed polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Vajpayee said: “Infiltration is still taking place in Jammu and Kashmir.”
HE SAID: “Our neighbours have the audacity to call our polls a farce. They should first take a look at their own backyards before trying to teach us lessons on how to hold free and fair polls. They have the guts to call our elections a farce when they are themselves trying to destabilise the elections.”
He accused Musharraf of following double standards. And yet, pointing out that European nations could sink their differences and come together, Vajpayee said: “Why can’t we solve our problems through dialogue? We will do it.”
In a more strident tone he accused Pakistan of seeking to grab Kashmir through terrorism, having failed to win it militarily.
Vajpayee asserted that Kashmir was a symbol of Indian secularism and all Kashmiri refugees, including Kashmiri pandits, would be able to go home after the Indian-sponsored state elections due later this year.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir want to live in peace. They are fed up with years of violence and terror. They want to make a peaceful future for their children. Here is the chance to put an end to all this,” Vajpayee said. He said the only war to be waged was against poverty in the region.
Vajpayee’s speech was being seen as mellow on Pakistan, compared with his hawkish colleagues, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishan Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes.
The context of Vajpayee’s address appeared to be governed by the calendar of events before him for the next few weeks.
Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers are due to come face to face in Kathmandu during a Saarc meeting starting there on Tuesday. One Aug 23, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is expected to come on an assessment tour of his damage control mission in South Asia.
Any negative inputs from Armitage, though unlikely from the present signals, could impact adversely on Vajpayee’s proposed visit to New York where he is due to meet President George W Bush during the Sept 11 anniversary.
Whether the White House is working on any meeting a la Camp David for India and Pakistan is not known, but President Musharraf will be there at the same time as Vajpayee during the commemoration of 11/9. It is believed that Armitage will be probing the chances of such a meeting.
Vajpayee’s by and large tepid criticism of Gen Musharraf followed similarly mild words from Kalam the previous day.
“I would like to reiterate that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India,” Kalam said in a televised address on Wednesday. “It is not an international issue. India is ready for bilateral dialogue once the cross-border terrorism is brought to a complete end. Normal election process is on in Jammu and Kashmir. It is essential to ensure its successful completion and dawn of peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
