Round The World

New Delhi, 12 January 2010

Ansari’s Tri-Nation Visit

REVIVING INDIA’S AFRICA POLICY

By Monish Tourangbam

Research Scholar, School of International Studies, JNU

Rejuvenate India and African nations share a long history of cultural ties cemented by their common struggle against colonialism. The bonds have been further strengthened with common reverence for Mahatma Gandhi, who started his historic struggle against the British Empire in South Africa. Post-independence, India and Africa have often stood together in the interest of the developing and under-developed countries through the Non-Aligned Movement and other organizations like the G-77. Moreover, India has been unwavering in its support for independence and pro-democracy movements in the African continent.

But, in the changing dynamics of the international system, New Delhi cannot bask in the glory of historic ties but should surge ahead to re-energize the relationship. It is in the context of these opportunities and challenges that the recent tri-nation Africa visit (a week-long visit to Zambia, Malawi and Botswana) of Vice-President Hamid Ansari assumes importance. Obviously, the visit may be questioned as being too late, too little but a fruitful initiation has been made, a chord has been struck and it is upon both the sides now to create a symphony.

Accepting that intensity of the engagement did wane in recent times, Ansari himself stated, “The fact that we remembered that and took steps to correct it is what is important.” A pragmatic move made by both the sides to reinvigorate the relationship came in the form of the first-ever Indo-African Summit held in New Delhi in 2008.  The summit was a major success in forging ahead India’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Continent in tune with a rapidly globalizing world. 

In recent times, India’s liberalization of the economy has taken it to a new level of growth.  A successful democracy, a leader in information technology and service industry makes India a model and a prospective partner for many African countries. On the other hand, many parts of Africa have been fairly successful in discarding the images of a “dark continent” identified with only poverty, ethnic conflicts and diseases. The fact that Africa is home to a large chunk of the world’s untapped natural resources have caught the attention of countries around the world. Thus, there is enough complementariness on the basis of which Africa and India can build a sustainable relationship suiting today’s world.

Two major documents signed during the Indo-Africa Summit, viz. the Delhi Declaration and the Framework for Cooperation were major leap forward in the process of rejuvenating ties. And the recent three-nation visit to Southern Africa by Mr. Ansari is a major footprint in taking the relations to a new level.  He has created the right atmosphere in putting forth a policy that is devoid of aggression, based on the ideas of mutual respect and consent.

Explaining that the visit to three countries--Zambia, Malawi and Botswana--were part of a process of re-engaging the continent, he clarified more African countries would soon receive high-level visits. Representing the EXIM Bank of India, Prabhakar Dalal, Executive Director, inked a pact for extending a $ 50 million Line of Credit to the Zambian Government for the Itezhi Tezhi Hydropower Project being constructed by the Itezhi Tezhi Power Corporation, a joint venture between Zambia’s ZESCO and TATA Africa Holdings.

Another Line of Credit worth $75 million for two years and a grant of $ 5 million for Zambia’s social sectors were also announced. Ansari reflected on the success of the ITEC (the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) programme for Zambia, with around 2300 civilians trained in India so far. It was launched as a bilateral assistance programme in 1964 by the Indian government, based on cooperation and partnership for mutual benefit. Defence cooperation between the two countries was also highlighted as an important achievement.

In Malawi, Ansari advocated the use of the Pan African E- Network to re-energize existing bilateral ties, bridging the socio-economic and digital divide. The project was hailed as a shining symbol of South-South cooperation, aiming to connect the 53 African countries for the purpose of tele-education and tele-medicine and video-conferencing among all the Heads of State in Africa. India announced a Line of Credit of $50 million to support the development goals of Malawi, a grant of $ 1 million as emergency relief for the rehabilitation of Malawi earthquake victims and another $ 4 million in grants to support Malawi’s development in agriculture, health and education sectors.

Both sides explored the possibility of entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the development of the mineral resources in Malawi, particularly uranium and coal. A joint communiqué agreed to expedite negotiations to finalize the MoU. The recent uranium discovery in Malawi has attracted world attention. The atmosphere and the camaraderie between the two nations seems perfect for going forward with the process of institutionalizing a pact in the energy sector and it would be a diplomatic blunder for both not to capitalize on this nascent energy resource in Malawi.

India and Botswana signed two MoUs to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture and education, agreeing to set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to review the progress in these agreements and ensure they were implemented. Bilateral discussions were held on issues, including India’s ongoing “training of the defence forces of Botswana” and assistance in vocational training by experts from India.

According to official sources, the talks did not cover the issue of diamond trade. Previously,  Ansari expressed his wish to discuss sourcing of uncut diamonds directly from Botswana, bypassing the diamond “monopoly”, referring to the South African conglomerate De Beers that dominates mining and trade in diamonds, and is often accused of monopolistic practices. The Bostwana government was reassured of India’s continued support with capacity building programmes, in areas considered primary by Botswana, re-emphasizing that India did not believe in imposing its own ideas or in making any attempt to influence the decisions of a mutual and equal partner. Discussing regional issues, both sides agreed to the need for democratic restoration in Zimbabwe and the Republic of Congo.

The tri-nation visit also reiterated the need for concerted effort towards issues like reforming the United Nations (particularly the UN Security Council), climate change negotiations and anti-terrorism. There was a show of unity and commonalities between these African nations and India on such international issues.

Keeping in view the inevitable competition between two rising powers, India and China, the Chinese overarching economic influence in Africa did come up for discussion. For records, China’s trade with Africa is to the tune of $116 billion compared to India’s $ 39 billion. But the Vice-President set the record straight by opining that the Indian style was not aggressive and neither prescriptive. India and China are two entirely different systems of government with different styles of functioning, reflecting in their foreign policies. Keeping the economics of the relationship in mind, there should be an effort for a collective goodwill based on the respect for democracy, human rights and the mutuality of a relationship. As Ansari commented, “The elephant walks at its own pace. But the elephant is not to be underestimated.” --INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Round The World

New Delhi, 5 January 2010

Hatoyama’s Visit

FURTHERING INDIA-JAPAN TIES

By Monish Tourangbam,

Research Scholar, School of International Studies, JNU

The Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s maiden visit to India after his victory in the August 2009 elections came like a succulent dessert towards the end of the diplomatic calendar. The meeting between him and Manmohan Singh gave an opportunity to better assess the ties between the mature Japanese economy and the dynamic and rapidly growing Indian economy. The high-profile visit proved a meeting of minds on various issues thus dispelling fears and concerns that the new administration had ignored India in its foreign policy calculations.

It was felt that the Hatoyama administration had sidestepped India’s importance while assessing the changing international environment in view of the global economic crisis and the rise of China. But, his stop in India and the substantial ties forged in various areas of cooperation have more than mitigated the suspicions.

Besides, the cultural connectivity in view of the influence of Buddhism and diplomatic relations initiated was quite early. Japan and India signed a peace treaty and established these ties in 1952. In fact, Japanese yen loans to India started as early as 1958 and over the years, India has become one of the most important destinations of Japanese aid. But a growing economy like India needs investment in wide-ranging areas of development. Some landmark decisions have been taken in recent times that have the capability of catapulting India-Japan economic cooperation to a different level altogether, taking it beyond the success of the Maruti-Suzuki enterprise that revolutionized driving in India.

One of the ventures that could change the level of interactions between India and Japan is the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Project. During the visit, the two sides reiterated their satisfaction that the project was now entering the implementation stage. They emphasized the importance of the joint establishment of the Project Development Fund (PDF) with support of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), which is jointly initiated by Japan and India. They welcomed Substantive progress on DMIC Project including the completion of the Perspective plan and advancement of Early Bird Projects.

The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (DMICDC) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) also signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on “Smart Communities” and “Eco-Friendly Townships”. These economic investments in a growing economy like India are also important in view of the weakened Japanese economy and the kind of competitive ground that India provides in terms of investment and businesses. Though India-Japan trade and investments are below expectations and have yet to reach the potential, there have been some good signs. Bilateral trade, more than $12 billion in 2008-09, is targeted to reach $20 billion in the next fiscal and Japanese investments in India in 2008 was $5.22 billion surpassing investment of $3.65 billion in China.

In this era of globalization, trade is often seen to interlock countries in a complex web of linkages. Investments in joint ventures, joint ownership and equitable responsibility foment habits of cooperation between countries and open new vistas of shared interests and complementariness. The new Japanese Prime Minister has talked of his vision of an EU-like East Asian Community and the Indian policymakers are curious to know what would be India’s place in such a vision. If recent overtures of the visit should forecast anything, then such a vision would not ignore the importance that India naturally occupies in maintaining the stability and prosperity of the region.

Several rounds of negotiations have been conducted over the conclusion of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)/Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two leaders instructed the concerned officials to expedite the process, so that both the countries could benefit from the favorable conditions to be created out of the landmark agreement. Putting to rest concerns over the recent Indian decision to tighten visa processing rules, the Government of India decided to introduce a visa on arrival scheme for tourists from five countries including Japan on an experimental basis.

Even though the Hatoyama has expressed his plans to chart a course for Japan more independent of Washington, Tokyo’s security and defence policy is closely tied to that of the US. The recent thaw in US-India relations is bound to impact more favorably on the level of interactions between India and Japan. The high levels of engagements have been clearly seen in the Malabar naval exercises, further building bonds of strategic and defence cooperation.

During the Japanese PM’s visit, an Action plan was agreed upon based on the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between the two countries in October 2008. Discussions on security matters are to be deliberated upon pursuant to the newly-agreed framework at the Sub-cabinet/ Senior Official-level 2 plus 2 dialogue (Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence of the two countries).  

Regional organizations of all sizes and configurations have become a mainstay of foreign policy calculations. They often provide the platform to look for like-minded parties and form an inevitable part of the discourse between countries. India and Japan stood for open, transparent and inclusive regional cooperation in Asia, in both economic and security fields. They agreed to pursue bilateral cooperation in existing multilateral frameworks in Asia, in particular the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) processes. The Coast Guards of the two countries were to continue cooperation to ensure maritime safety, security and to protect marine environment through joint exercise and meeting.

One of the major irritants in India-Japan ties has been on the non-proliferation front. Japan being the only victim of the atomic bomb is bound to be fairly strict and the importance given to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was expected to sour the note. But the two leaders chose to play safe and tone down the differences. India chose to throw the ball into the court of two nuclear power states, the US and China saying that ratification by these two countries “will create a new situation.”

As such, the quest for a civilian nuclear agreement is not over but it is not closed either. There is recognition of India’s clean proliferation record and New Delhi’s unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing. Moreover, India has got the NSG waiver and is expanding its zone of nuclear commerce. Both Japan and India have emphasized the importance of clean nuclear energy in view of the rising energy demand and climate change threats. As the international attitude softens towards the Indian civilian nuclear programme and confidence increases, it is highly probable that Japan might sooner or later open its doors to the highly enticing Indian market. 

For the time being, India and Japan will continue to harbour some differences over the non-proliferation issue. But as two countries with so much to gain from each other and shared interests in such a wide array of issues, it would be a diplomatic suicide if some irritants were made to derail the speeding “India-Japan Bullet Train”. --INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 25 March 2010

Public Distribution System

STATES PLAYING MERRY HELL

By Insaf

Almost all the States are in the dock for playing merry hell with the Public Distribution System. A Central Vigilance Committee set up by the Supreme Court to look into the Public Distribution System has found that the sale of foodgrains through the PDS to poor families throughout the country at highly subsidized prices is stinking of corruption, hoarding and black marketing. “Corruption”, says the CVC in its damning report, “is all pervasive in the entire chain involved in the PDS… True some officers are doing a good job, but then most functionaries under them in the Department are typically callous and resort to corrupt practices.” The CVC, headed by Justice D.P. Wadhwa, retired Supreme Court judge, submitted its report to a Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K.S. Radhakrishnan, hearing a petition on the need for streamlining the PDS, after touring various states and scrutinizing the operation of the PDS through fair price shops.

The Centre gives a whopping Rs. 28,000/- crore annually to the States to subsidise food for the poor. Tragically, however, “the poor go on suffering at the hands of corrupt officials, dishonest Fair Price Shops (FPS) owners, treacherous transporters and, possibly to a large extent, unscrupulous miller as well.” There was large-scale diversion of food grains supplied to the PDS and blackmarketing by FPS dealers, provoking the CVC to assert: “Corruption in the PDS is a cancerous growth and has to be chopped off as patchwork would not do.” There was a strong nexus between the FPS dealers and officials of the department; improper records, false entries in registers and, above all, political influence and interference hampering public distribution. In Bihar, for instance, foodgrains were not distributed every month. The Committee visited many villages and towns and met lots of beneficiaries. All generally complained that during the last year, they got foodgrains only for 2 to 3 months!

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Capital Delhi Is Worst

Of interest is the terminology used by Justice Wadhwa for different states. Rajasthan --- PDS has collapsed; political pressure is put on the appointment of FPS dealers. Jharkhand --- PDS is a glaring example of what the system ought not to be. The distribution mechanism of the State has continued in the hands of the most corrupt and inefficient Bihar State Food and Supply Corporation. Rotten grain and good grain lie together in the godown. If the FPS owners do not pay the godown manager Rs. 10 per bag, he supplies rotten grain! Gujarat --- FPS owners bribe officials to get FPS licences and pay monthly bribes. Karnataka --- enforcement lax, collusion between officials, investigating agencies, dealers and wholesalers. But the most damming comments are for Delhi. Apart from terming the PDS as inefficient and corrupt, the CVC has stated: “There is largescale diversion and blackmarketing of food grains. Subsidised PDS foodgrain does not reach the poor, the FPS owner uses bogus/fake ration cards for blackmarketing of PDS food grain.”

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Andhra Tackles Maoism

Andhra Pradesh has some lessons to offer in tackling Maoism. Remember, only 15 of India’s 630 districts suffered from Maoist incidents in the 1990s. Today Maoists have become much stronger in most States. Over 200 districts are affected, despite big increase in anti-terrorism outlays. The only exception is Andhra Pradesh, where Maoist incidents reportedly fell from 576 in 2005 to 62 in 2009, Maoist killings from 211 to 17 and police deaths from 25 to nil. Contrary to a popular impression, the change has not been brought about by the State’s specialized anti-Maoist force called the Greyhounds. It has been transformed by economic development and welfare. Massive irrigation, construction and welfare programmes have created so much employment that Maoism has lost its attraction for once-unemployed youth in the State. The casual labour wage is now well above the minimum of Rs. 120 per day. Welfare schemes, notably rice at Rs.2 per kilo, have provided safety nets. Police action, as the CM Rosaiah insists, was no doubt crucial. Ultimately, it was economic progress and welfare that spearheaded the State’s success against Maoism.

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Naga Talks In Trouble

A question mark has gone up over the Centre’s talks with Nagaland’s leading militant group: NSCN (IM). Last Sunday, General Secretary, Thuingaleng Muviah, no doubt, commended the Government of India for its “seriousness in finding a peaceful solution.”  But he stuck to his basic demand of sovereignty, which is not acceptable to New Delhi, stating: “We have told them very clearly, don’t try to impose the Indian Constitution on us. The Nagas will never accept it.” Importantly, Muivah declared this while addressing the 30^th “Republic Day” function as the “Prime Minister” of the Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN). The function, which had to be seen to be believed for its solemnity and popular impact, was held at the NSCN-IM’s truce-time headquarters at camp Hebron, about 80 km from Kohima. Muivah initially hoisted the Nagalim flag. Three contingents of the “Naga Army”, including two women’s contingents, thereafter marched past smartly. Muivah also declared: “We have been talking with the Government of India for 13 years now. We have fought for Naga rights and have not berdged an inch. We have not moved today. Nor shall we move tomorrow…..”

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Kerala Facing Drought?

Is Kerala going to be a victim of global warming? Fears are that it will. The lush green southern-most State, with 44 rivers, thousands of water bodies and world-famous backwaters is facing a drought. Studies undertaken last year show that there has been an 18 per cent rainfall shortage i.e. the State received 230 cm of rainfall as against an average of 260 cm. This had led to the groundwater dipping 28 per cent. Even though peak summer is yet to set in, Palakkad in the north is already reeling under 42 deg C, which is 9 degrees above normal! So far nine persons have been hospitalized for sunstroke and some even have their skin peeling off because of sun burns. A similar situation prevails in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram. Acute water and power shortage is already staring the people in the face. A concerned State government has rushed a team of experts to the affected districts to study the phenomenon and suggest remedial action. Worse, water levels in reservoirs and rivers have dipped, and the Sasthamkotta lake, which supplies drinking water to large swathes of south Kerala has dried. Environmentalists believe the drought is a result of the global warming, thanks to the ruthless exploitation of natural resources like sand-mining and tree-felling. Time for New Delhi to pay heed!

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India’s Wine Capital

Bangalore or Bengaluru, as the capital of Karnataka is now called, has reason to rejoice and celebrate. It has quietly acquired the status of India’s wine capital, in addition to being the country’s IT capital. Incredible as it may seem, drinking wine has become a way of life in Bangalore, thanks to the BJP-led Yeddyurappa Government. Some ten months ago, it became the first-ever State Government to announce an explicit wine policy, which promoted wine as a family drink and allowed the beverage to be sold in malls and metromarts. This has worked wonders, what with the young and the elderly and men and women alike eagerly adopting the new drinking habit. More and more Bangaloreans are now uncorking bottles of refreshing wine instead of opting for the traditional whisky and soda. Sale of wine has reportedly risen to 25 lakh litres per annum from just 13 lakh litres in 2006-07. Area under grape cultivation, which is receiving top Government priorities, has increased from 500 to 1,800 acres. The State now has nine wineries. Some 30 per cent of its produce is being exported to the U.K., France and the U.S.! ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 18 March 2010

BSP Shames Backward UP

VULGAR DISPLAY OF MONEY POWER

By Insaf

It’s a tale of two cities in Uttar Pradesh this week. One witnessed shameless and vulgar celebration of money power in politics. The other was engulfed in tragic communal riots. After lavish birthdays, giant statues and memorials over the years, the State Chief Minister and BSP supremo, Mayawati set a new bar for Dalit celebrations. On Monday last, she organized a maha rally in Lucknow to mark the party's silver jubilee and also its founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary. Extravaganza was put to shame. The administration is alleged to have splurged close to Rs 200 crore for the grand show targetting a record crowd of 20 lakh. And how? A temporary township “Bhim Nagari” was constructed over 60 acres with 30 waterproof pandals, 2,000 temporary toilets and 1,000 bathrooms; 200 tankers supplied water. A make shift hospital was put up with 200 doctors and 500 paramedical staff.  Some 1600 State transport and 5,000 private buses were in place. Over 1,000 quintals of flowers were used. But the piece de resistance for the staggering four lakh crowd that turned up was the mammoth garland she was presented. It was strung together with Rs 1,000 notes which could total up to Rs 5 crore!  

The rally had the Opposition parties up in arms in New Delhi. The BJP, SP and the Congress disrupted the Lok Sabha proceedings for two days, demanded a CBI inquiry into the source of the garland notes presented to the “Daulat (not Dalit) ki beti”. The currency garland, which could feed several thousand of UP’s poor, has expectedly made the Income Tax department sit up. On Tuesday, the department said that it would investigate the ownership of the Rs 1,000 notes used, the bank from which the money was sourced and whether it was from disclosed income. Accordingly, it will make a case for tax evasion. This apart, it would also look into the entire funding of the rally. But nothing affects Mayawati. Just two days after the hullabaloo, she was welcomed by her party MLAs with another cash garland worth Rs 18 lakh at a party meeting in Lucknow! Her Minister, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, even announced that the CM would from now on be welcomed only with currency notes! That is not all. The day also saw Lucknow get its eleventh statue of Mayawati, a composite structure of four 7.5-foot tall white marble figures standing back to back on a pedestal at the Bahujan Prerna Kendra!

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Bareilly Burns

Shockingly, the Lucknow celebrations took place even as Bareilly was burning. The city, home to many Hindu temples and traditionally an example of communal harmony, was engulfed in unprecedented communal riots. Curfew had to be clamped in five police areas for as long as a fortnight, causing untold misery to the residents. The violence between the Hindus and the Muslims erupted over the route of a procession to mark Barawafat or Milad-Ul-Nabi - the Prophet’s birthday - on March 2 --- after the President of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council made a rousing speech. Over 40 shops and kiosks were gutted, a dozen-odd vehicles burnt and over a score people wounded. But, this could have clearly been easily averted. The origin of the current violence dates back to 2006 when a Barawfat procession through Kohada peer locality triggered some aggressive protests from Hindus. The issue was promptly resolved after the administration allowed an alternative route. This month, though there were similar protests, the authorities simply did not react. They were too busy with the maha rally. It was criminal mismanagement from day one, which the BJP proposes to expose. It has set up a three-member fact-finding committee, which includes Maneka Gandhi, to go into the communal violence.

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Trouble For Modi?

Narendra Modi’s Gujarat is in the news. But this time for the wrong reasons. The Special Investigating team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court two years ago to probe 10 of the most critical cases from sites like the Gulbarga Society, post-Godhra riots in 2002, has summoned the Chief Minister on Sunday. Questioning will be on the basis of an FIR filed by Zakia Jafri, widow of Congress MP Ahsan Jafri, who has accused Modi and 62 others of complicity in the riots in which nearly 2,000 people were killed. However, the SIT, headed by former CBI director R K Raghavan, has run into a crisis. One of its members, DIG (retd) Param Singh is said to have resigned. Worse, the Special Public Prosecutor in the Gulbarga Society trial, RK Shah too has put in his papers saying he could not take the non-cooperation of the SIT and taunts from the trial judge. These developments in the SIT, which is considered the last word in investigations into the riot cases, has forced the Supreme Court to take note and stay further proceedings in the trial. The big question is: will Modi get a reprieve in all this mess? While it is unclear what evidence the SIT has, or whether any charges will stick to Modi, the summoning of Modi is a call that carries symbolic weight, if not much else yet.

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‘Healthy’ First For Assam

Assam is all set to create history. It is the first State in the country to introduce a Bill, which guarantees the right to health and well-being of its citizens. On Thursday last, the Congress government tabled the landmark Assam Public Health Bill, 2010 in the State Assembly, in response to the Centre’s appeal for legislating on health rights. The Bill makes it mandatory for all development projects to carry out a health impact assessment. Importantly, the State is not viewing health as just doctors and hospitals but everything that influences the well-being of the people. With this aim, the Bill seeks to bind the health and family welfare department to meet its basic obligations—coordinating with other departments concerned and providing people with minimum nutritionally essential food, adequate supply of safe drinking water, sanitation and access to basic housing facility. Besides, both government and private hospitals will have to provide free healthcare services and maintain appropriate treatment for the first 24 hours to any emergency patient, among other path-breaking provisions in the Bill, which will be put to vote on March 31.

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J&K Bill Against Women

Jammu and Kashmir is truly far distanced from New Delhi. Days after the Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, the J&K Assembly witnessed the tabling of a bill, which discriminates against women. On March 2, the PDP MLA, Murtaza Khan, introduced the Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill on March 2 and the Government accepted it at the introduction level. The Bill seeks to debar J&K women of their right to property and jobs if they marry someone outside the State. The Opposition, led by the BJP, protested and staged a walkout in the Assembly on Saturday last, asserting  that it would deprive girls of ancestral rights to own land, property and jobs if they married outside the State. They questioned the constitutional validity of the Bill and asked as to how it could even be introduced. However, the PDP insists the Bill “would save identity of the State’s women.” And, further argues that the State’s special status under Article 370 “would be undermined if women marrying non-State subjects retain their citizenship rights”. All eyes, however, are now on the ruling National Conference, headed by young Omar Abdullah and his stand. So far there is silence. Either J&K is an integral part of India or it is not!---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)