Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 24: Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Prof Saifuddin Soz who created uproar in the political and social circles over his remarks on Kashmir in contests of Parvez Musharraf has alleged that BJP was trying to distort the historical facts.
While clarifying his remarks, Soz said, ” My book on Kashmir- Glimpses of History and the storey of struggle’ is already in public domain. The vested interests are distorting the facts, particularly, the BJP.”
” I have merely explained how, the then President of Pakistan Musharraf had told the Army and political class of Pakistan that even though, Kashmiris would want independence, it was not possible at all. He (Musharraf) had, therefore, mooted his famous ‘Formula’ of peace and dignity with India. He has stressed the fact that the two closest neighbours (Nuclear Powers), could never settle the problem on Kashmir through war and, therefore, his formula that envisaged no change in borders and free movement among five erstwhile regions of the Jammu and Kashmir State (three regions with India and two regions with Pakistan) was explained in a non-paper’ still available with two countries,” Soz maintained.
“My book suggests emphatically that the two closest neighbours and two full-fledged Nuclear powers cannot live in perpetual animosity and, therefore, have to forge an abiding friendship and good neighbourly relations. As for today’s Kashmir, I emphasize the fact that no amount of repression through force can settle the issue. The only course available is a meaningful ‘political dialogue’, preferably to be initiated with the ‘Hurriyat Conference’ represented by the ‘joint resistance leadership’. It is then, that the dialogue process will move to the mainstream. What is wrong in it, when NDA Government is also doing the same in their own manner?” Soz remarked.
” The BJP is dead-set to distort my views as they are organizing a debate on communal lines with their eyes on ‘General Election-2019’. I again reiterate that the views which I have expressed in my book are my own and these have nothing to do with the Congress Party,” Soz maintained.
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