Kashmir is a settled issue: Subramanian Swamy

The Janata Party leader rejected the ongoing peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.

Asserting that Kashmir is a settled issue, Janata Party on Wednesday rejected the ongoing peace process in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded bombing of terrorist training camps across the border and abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution guaranteeing special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

HT Image

"Janata Party (JP) considers the whole of the state of Jammu and Kashmir inclusive of the PoK and those parts in possession of the Chinese as an integral and inalienable part of India, a consequence of the instrument of accession signed by the Maharaja (Hari Singh)," the party president Subramanian Swamy said.

Swamy, who arrived here on Tuesday on a three-day visit to reactivate the party unit here, rejected the ongoing peace process in the state saying: "JP rejects any talks on the future of the state that accepts any concept of autonomy beyond what is permissible in the Constitution."

Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for announcing five working groups during the second roundtable conference for resolution of Kashmir issue, Swamy said Singh should have stated the clear position of the country to the people of the State that it is an integral part of India.

Opposing talks with those who challenge state's accession, he said, "we should not talk to those who contest the finality of the state's accession with India."

Finality of the accession of Kashmir with India is as valid as formation of Pakistan, he said adding if Pakistan questions the accession then India can question partition and formation of Pakistan.

Swamy is scheduled to meet the Chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umer Farooq tomorrow before leaving for Delhi.