VIKANT SAHAY &
SUJAY GUPTA
PANJIM: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh very significantly remarked, that talks with Pakistan can happen only if the agenda is “terror”, meaning the role of Pakistan in promoting and executing terror in the valley needs to be discussed first. The Home Minister, in an exclusive interview to Herald, at Raj Bhavan in Goa, his first one-to-one, to any Indian publication after the all party delegation on Kashmir returned from the valley on Wednesday, said he was hopeful of a solution at the very earliest. On the contentious issue of the use of pellet guns and the search for alternatives, he maintained that the “use of minimum force” principle would be applied. In another indication of the government’s way of thinking on an extremely contentious issue the Home Minister said that this was not the time to discuss whether the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should be withdrawn or restricted. He said in Hindi, “Mahaul nahin hain” (the atmosphere is not right). But he did say that it was very important for children in the valley to hold books and not stones.
Excerpts:
Herald: The All Party Delegation that returned from Kashmir two days ago, headed by you, did not seem to have made too much of a headway?
Rajnath Singh: The situation in Kashmir has improved a lot lately. Yesterday also I had a talk with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and I understand that in the next 10 days or so the situation will be under control. However, the delegation also believed that all the stakeholders should be engaged. I also said that those who believe in jamhooriyat (democracy), kashmiryat (those who love Kashmir) and insaniyat (those who love humanity) will surely be engaged and we will talk to them.
Herald: But when four MPs (Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, Sharad Yadav and Jay Prakash Narayan) went to meet Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his residence where he is under house arrest, he did not even open his door.
Singh: No… no… the MPs went to him without our (the delegation’s) consent. Neither I said yes nor did I say no. They went in their individual capacity.
Herald: There are things like removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or removal of this Act from some areas. What is the stand of the Union government in this?
Singh: As far as this is concerned, these can be considered only after the situation improves. First, the situation needs to improve (Mahaul nahin hain ) and that’s our priority at the moment.
Herald: You seem to have come up with an alternative to pellet guns to be used by the armed forces?
Singh: I have given approval for use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide (PAVA) shells in rarest of rare cases. It is a kind of chilli shell.
Herald: But it will not replace the pellet or will both be used simultaneously?
Singh: If the chilli shells can do the work, I think that pellets will not be required. But what I want to say is that the future of kids and youth should not be jeopardised or played with. The minimum use of force principle will be applied in J&K operations
Herald: When do you think that the present issue will be resolved in Kashmir?
Singh: I am sure it will be resolved very soon.
Herald: What is the government view in having talks with Pakistan? Whether India should talk?
Singh: I understand that if talks happen it should be on the issue of terrorism as terrorism is a major challenge for the global community.
