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New Delhi : In an embarrasment for BJP, its Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani today opposed the party line
by coming out in support of the Kashmir interlocutors, saying it is 'childish and churlish' to accuse them of
internationalising the issue. Stating that interlocutor Dileep Padgaonkar and his team's task of finding a 'peaceful and lasting solution' to
the Kashmir problem is 'almost superhuman', Jethmalani said he 'fervently' prayed for their success, despite having 'serious
misgivings'.
'Even if they achieve partial result the nation would owe them a debt of gratitude. Neither by acts nor by words we
should add to their difficulties,' he said.
BJP had accused Padgaonkar of internationalising the Kashmir problem after he said a solution to the issue was not
possible without involving Pakistan. The party had also questioned whether he was given the brief to make such
statements by the Centre and sought a clarification from the Prime Minister's Office on the matter.
Now, Jethmalani has taken a position diametrically opposed to that of his party.
'It is childish and churlish to attack them for internalising the issue. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
by his confabulations with President Pervez Musharraf and recently Foreign Minister S M Krishna confabulating with his
counterpart Mr (Ahmad Shah) Qureshi were exactly doing that,' Jethmalani said.
'Dialogue with Pakistan is a compulsory legacy of the Shimla Agreement of 1972. We cannot wish it out of existence,'
he added. The eminent lawyer, known for his polemical stand on several issues, maintained that India should have more
confidence in the 'unchallengeable strength of our title deeds, both moral and legal'.
Jethmalani suggested that secular democracies should be asked to mediate on this issue as they would 'unhesitatingly'
accept India's case. 'Talks with Pakistan alone so far have not yielded satisfactory results,' he said.
'I appeal to everyone to strengthen our three interlocutors,' he added. PTI
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by coming out in support of the Kashmir interlocutors, saying it is 'childish and churlish' to accuse them of
internationalising the issue. Stating that interlocutor Dileep Padgaonkar and his team's task of finding a 'peaceful and lasting solution' to
the Kashmir problem is 'almost superhuman', Jethmalani said he 'fervently' prayed for their success, despite having 'serious
misgivings'.
'Even if they achieve partial result the nation would owe them a debt of gratitude. Neither by acts nor by words we
should add to their difficulties,' he said.
BJP had accused Padgaonkar of internationalising the Kashmir problem after he said a solution to the issue was not
possible without involving Pakistan. The party had also questioned whether he was given the brief to make such
statements by the Centre and sought a clarification from the Prime Minister's Office on the matter.
Now, Jethmalani has taken a position diametrically opposed to that of his party.
'It is childish and churlish to attack them for internalising the issue. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
by his confabulations with President Pervez Musharraf and recently Foreign Minister S M Krishna confabulating with his
counterpart Mr (Ahmad Shah) Qureshi were exactly doing that,' Jethmalani said.
'Dialogue with Pakistan is a compulsory legacy of the Shimla Agreement of 1972. We cannot wish it out of existence,'
he added. The eminent lawyer, known for his polemical stand on several issues, maintained that India should have more
confidence in the 'unchallengeable strength of our title deeds, both moral and legal'.
Jethmalani suggested that secular democracies should be asked to mediate on this issue as they would 'unhesitatingly'
accept India's case. 'Talks with Pakistan alone so far have not yielded satisfactory results,' he said.
'I appeal to everyone to strengthen our three interlocutors,' he added. PTI
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