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Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on Wednesday said the Centre, as part of devolution of power to states, was willing to give special powers to Jammu and Kashmir, if the demand so arose.
Replying to supplementary questions during the question hour in Rajya Sabha, Advani reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and there would be no compromise on it.
Stating the government was moving towards devolution of more powers to states, Advani said, "in this process if Jammu and Kashmir needs special powers, we are willing to give it."
On the issue of Kashmir autonomy resolution, Advani said the government has already made it clear that the pre-1953 position suggested in it cannot be acceptable.
"If we are to accept it, it will mean the President, the Prime Minister and others will have no authority on Kashmir," he said.
Advani said after the Kargil war, the government had decided not to talk to Pakistan under any circumstances till it gave up its policy of cross-border terrorism.
It was only after President Pervez Musharraf expressed his willingness to talk that he was invited to New Delhi, he said.
The Home Minister said the non-initiation of combat operations during Ramzan last year had resulted in large number of deaths of civilians and army personnel.
To a query from former law minister Ram Jethmalani on whether the Tashkent Agreement was still valid and had not been overlooked in the wake of the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, Advani said the government was committed to it.
Advani also made it clear that Hizbul Mujahadeen was not the only outfit with which the government was willing to speak. The government can consider talking to other organisations as well, he added.
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